The Lion 2024-25

HAMPTON SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2024–25

It is always a pleasure to contribute some introductory words for The Lion magazine, which provides a remarkably detailed narrative of another memorable year for our School community. Our erudite Editor, Mike Baker, has once again excelled himself in compiling such an insightful, vivid and wide-ranging account of Hampton life in 2024-25.

And what a splendid year it was! Our Upper Sixth ‘Class of 2025’ led the way with characteristic generosity of spirit, good humour and fellowship. As their Head of Year, Miss Smith, observed in her valedictory remarks: “Upper Sixth, you are – in the best possible way – a year group full of personality. You’re bright, curious, and unafraid to be yourselves. But, perhaps more than anything else, you are especially big-hearted. That willingness to be open with each other, to laugh together, to share burdens and lift spirits – has been a defining feature of your time here and is foremost among many things that we shall remember you for so fondly.” Mid-August saw this manifestly collegial year group and their families celebrating impressive A Level results together; we wish them every happiness as they explore the world beyond Hampton.

recording a historic treble by adding the English Schools’ FA (ESFA) U18B national title to their Elgin League and London Independent Schools’ Cup trophies. They may well have taken inspiration from Josh King OH (2023), who made his debut for Fulham FC and is on course for a stellar Premier League career. Hampton Rugby saw a third senior player in recent times sign a professional contract, with Nick Lynagh joining Harlequins before moving on to Queensland Reds. Meanwhile, our oarsmen secured a haul of 19 Gold medals in GB crews, and the Championship VIII returned to schools’ rowing prominence by reaching the semi-final stage at Henley Royal Regatta. The summer term also saw three Hampton athletes selected to compete at the 2025 English Schools’ Championships, and both our U13 and U17 cricket squads were crowned national champions after thrilling cup campaigns. The sporting year culminated with the welcome news that our Chess team, led by Rajat Makkar, had secured the ECF National Schools’ Chess Championship title for the second time in three years. They followed this up by finishing as the highest-placed European team at the World Chess Championships for Schools in Washington DC.

Our Performing Arts provision continues to thrive, flourish and grow to meet demand. The joint senior musical with LEH, 42nd Street, was recognised as Best Musical at the National School Theatre Awards, while our junior production with Waldegrave, Bugsy Malone, was a madcap delight. Energetic deployment of splurge guns and custard pies added to the on-stage ebullience, while the Lower School summer show, The Hound of the Baskervilles, provided an atmospheric and engaging take on the classic Sherlockian mystery. We have become cheerfully accustomed to the annual excellence and variety of our Music department’s programme of events, but last year’s joint Hampton and LEH Choral Society Concert was truly exceptional. A choir of over 150 singers, including Hampton and LEH pupils and parents (current and former), joined the orchestra to raise the rafters in the Hammond.

or national finals, with the Second XI

Co-curricular opportunities continue to be at the heart of our boys’ enjoyment of their schooldays. Over 300 Hamptonians participated in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, with hundreds more embracing the cornucopia of lunchtime clubs and societies, offering everything from beekeeping to cryptic crosswords and LEGO robotics.

Hamptonians enjoyed another superb sporting year alongside their many top echelon academic successes. Our senior football teams reached no fewer than 13 regional

An array of expert speakers contributed to our ever-popular Talk! series, all of whom were skillfully compèred by pupils and astutely questioned by enthusiastic audiences. Away from Hanworth Road, trips, tours and educational visits ventured far and wide across the year, including to the New Forest, Snowdonia, Rome, Ronda, Washington DC, Borneo, and Barbados. I was fortunate enough myself to join another excellent Fourth Year History trip to Berlin and to visit Iceland for the first time in February with our GCSE Geographers – the land of ice and fire was a revelation and merits a place on anyone’s bucket list! While I cannot claim to be wholly impartial on the subject, I feel that

Hamptonians are happily notable among their peers for carrying their talents lightly and without entitlement. They embrace our culture of supporting those around them with kindness and respect, and this spirit was palpable during our second-ever Giving Day in July. The event was a sunshine-blessed celebration of our cherished values, as families, pupils, staff and alumni raised funds for the Fitzwygram Foundation’s single, transformative aim: to promote social mobility by increasing the number of means-tested Free Places available at Hampton. Activities from bake sales, darts competitions and mass penalty shoot-outs… to inter-Form relays and triathlons… to our very own edition of The Chase, were full of laughter and generous support for this most important of causes. A total of over £250,000 was raised and will help to ensure that talented young people are able to benefit from a Hampton education.

After residing in The Headmaster’s study for a dozen years, I remain as grateful as ever for the privilege of leading a community where daily life is so consistently inspiring and uplifting. Thank you to everyone –pupils, colleagues, parents, Trustees and alumni – for your steadfast commitment to ensuring that Hampton, despite externally imposed challenges, continues to be such a distinctively well-balanced, inclusive and joyful School. Floreat Hamptonia!

I do hope that you’ll enjoy reading this edition of The Lion

Kevin Knibbs Headmaster

Cover photo: the Hampton production of Bugsy Malone. For the full report, see pages 44–47.

School

NEW STAFF

Brendon Mascarenhas

Having taught for about eight years in India – and now another eight in the UK across four different schools – I feel fortunate to have been part of some truly inspiring communities.

My teaching motto has always been that the journey itself is the destination when it comes to learning. For me, the experience pupils have in the classroom matters more than just the end results, so I do my best to make the process as engaging and enjoyable as possible.

Before Hampton, I taught at a school dedicated to pupils with special needs. That experience taught me patience, perspective, and a hundred new ways to celebrate small but meaningful victories. While I loved my time there, I am genuinely excited to bring what I have learned into the classrooms at Hampton – while no doubt picking up new ideas and inspiration along the way! In just a short time, I have already felt the warmth of its community and the energy of both pupils and staff.

Dr Christopher (Kit) Gallagher

Born and raised in St Margarets, I have spent the last decade in East London studying – and more recently teaching – physics, so it is nice to be back on home turf.

My academic background is Einstein’s general relativity, which I used to study the statistical distribution of galaxies on the night sky – in the vain hope of learning something new about gravity. I try to keep Einstein’s principles in mind at all times, particularly in behaviour management: students and teachers may disagree on the exact sequence of events, but effect may never precede cause!

Outside the classroom, I am a keen chess player, though my ELO rating has been in steep decline since the arrival of my first child. The scientist in me suspects a strong correlation

between sleep deprivation and poor play, but perhaps it is just age catching up with me.

I am also a guitarist and music producer; one of my bands once even suffered the indignity of being featured on Spotify’s ‘Hot New Bands UK’ playlist, but the rockstar lifestyle never quite materialised – so now I content myself with the sound of my own voice in lessons.

I enjoy test cricket, foreign cinema, literature, good coffee, and dark chocolate. I am delighted to be teaching physics at Hampton, where I hope to restore the Gallagher family name to good standing after the school endured my brother many years ago.

Outside the classroom, I enjoy table tennis, badminton, and the occasional game of tennis – though Wimbledon will not be calling anytime soon! I am also a fan of board games and card games, with family gatherings often becoming competitive – but always in good humour.

Travelling is another real passion of mine; I spend most holidays exploring new countries and cultures. I have been doing it so much that my once-reluctant friends now ask me to organise their trips…mostly because they know I will handle all of the planning!

Another interest of mine is dance. Until recently, I was an enthusiastic member of a Bollywood-Bhangra group that performed at local charity events. I may not have set the stage on fire, but I certainly kept the energy levels up – sometimes more than the steps themselves!

Natalie Dillon

Born and brought up in London, I studied Engineering at university. However, whilst working at an engineering consultancy after graduation, I wrote a lot of computer programs to automate the calculations I was supposed to be doing. I found this was considerably more enjoyable than the rest of my job, and so I left to pursue a career in software development in the financial services sector.

There were lots of brilliant moments, successful projects delivered, and tricky problems solved; but, after twenty years or so of sitting in a room with little natural daylight and staring at a screen writing code for forty plus hours a week, I decided to retrain as a teacher.

After an otherwise very rewarding experience working as a Computing Teacher at St Paul’s in a dark, windowless room, I am very pleased to have come to Hampton as Head of Department and to finally be able to see the sun again.

Megan

Cookson

I am thrilled to be joining the Psychology Department at Hampton this year! My journey so far has been quite the adventure, from teaching and coaching sports in the UK to spending a year in bustling Shenzhen, China, where I learned to speak basic Mandarin –emphasis on basic… my pupils were very patient!

I have been lucky enough to split my time between the UK and sunny Florida, where I fully embraced life outdoors and involved in some American sports and being fortunate enough to volunteer for Sports Psychology in the NFL!

I am passionate about both psychology and sport, having achieved my MSc in Sports & Exercise Psychology.  I love exploring how the mind works to help people perform at their best. Whether it is in the classroom or on the field, I enjoy bringing sports psychology into play, helping others to stay focused and handle those high-pressure moments.

Technology keeps changing at what appears to be an exponentially increasing pace, but the fundamentals of how to reason logically and solve problems have not changed – nor have the foundational principles of how digital computers work. I am looking forward to sharing my passion for Computer Science and working with the brilliant team of teachers here at Hampton.

I have always enjoyed travelling, and, before having my family, I spent a year backpacking around the world. I still like hiking and often try to persuade my children to go on long walks in the rain. I speak Italian, after studying and working there, and have an interest in Italian food and culture.

Alongside this, I am an LTA Level 2 tennis coach, and I love sharing my enthusiasm for tennis with others; coaching is one of my favourite ways to connect and see growth in confidence.

Outside of work, I am usually on the move – skiing, hiking, playing tennis, or trying to master a new activity –sometimes successfully, sometimes less so! Travel is another big love of mine, and I am always on the lookout for new places to explore and cultures to experience – plus, it gives me plenty of stories to tell!

I am looking forward to teaching here at Hampton and bringing plenty of energy and curiosity along the way.

Leaving Staff

Margaret Chandler

After an extraordinary 153 terms, countless classrooms across several schools, and roles ranging from French, History and German teacher to Director of Staff Development, Deputy Head and Acting Head, Madame Chandler brought her remarkable career in education to a close at the end of the summer term 2025.

Margaret’s journey in teaching began in demanding circumstances at Henry Compton in Fulham, where resources were scarce but challenges abundant.

After four years and a term, during which time she would work an extended day to support those who wanted to pursue their French studies, Margaret moved to Coombe Girls’ School. There she rose to become Senior Teacher, then Director of Staff Development and Head of Faculty: Modern Languages/ Business Studies/BTEC.

Incidentally, she also met another colossus-in-waiting of the Hampton School Modern Languages department when a certain Ms Shirley Buckley became Head of Modern Languages.

Amongst other gifts as she departed Coombe was a cake with icing spelling ‘L’essentiel était de bien faire son métier – Camus’. A fitting tribute.

Putney High came next. Margaret loved her time there, and right until her final days with us at Hampton she would remember former colleagues and experiences with the girls with genuine warmth.

She taught French to A Level, History to Years 7 and 9, and even some German when required, alongside serving as sole Deputy Head and, for a time, Acting Head.

Her dear friend and Headmistress at the time, Eileen, went off to Australia on sabbatical, with no forwarding address or phone. Thereby stands a tale.

In the meantime, Margaret had become a member of ISI and was involved in the inspection of quite a few schools, including Withington Girls’ in Manchester. She also ended up at Putney doing the Lower Sixth General Studies Young Enterprise; the Business Studies teacher, who had introduced it to Putney’s General Studies offering, left, so she took it on with characteristic willingness.

The following year, every single Lower Sixth girl opted for Young Enterprise, and so Margaret was left with at least five companies to run, and all on a Friday afternoon during periods 7 and 8.

Those who know Margaret will know she used to write the timetable at Putney and had thus fallen on her own sword. Leaving Putney High was quite an emotional time for Margaret, and she fondly remembers being showered with gifts by girls, parents, and staff.

And so to Hampton and on to the final few years – or so she might have thought – of what had already been a stellar career.

After Sophie Yoxon’s maternity cover came Graham Stone’s sabbatical cover in autumn 2005, followed immediately by cover for Lis Watson’s 11+ in January and February 2006.

Margaret could not get enough – or perhaps Hampton realised rather quickly that they had hit the jackpot.

Madame Chandler continued into the summer term, preparing the 49 Fifth Year AS pupils for their speaking exams. And then there was finally a vacancy, and so Margaret joined the official staff roll from September 2006.

No one could have predicted that that temporary post would turn into over two decades of dedication, laughter, and quiet but profound influence around the Modern Languages department and in wider school life.

Margaret’s First Year lessons quickly became legendary: one moment seamlessly moving pupils from the present tense to the conditional, the next filling the language corridor with Ma famille est très active, obliging unsuspecting parents on school tours –and even Mr Knibbs – to join in the chorus.

Margaret’s influence reached far beyond the younger years. She challenged her Fourth and Fifth Year classes to stretch beyond the basics, every year without fail producing incredibly confident and fluent French.

Her A Level lessons and lunchtime extension classes introduced pupils to Sartre, Camus, and other towering figures of French literature and philosophy, fostering genuine intellectual independence.

Generations of Old Hamptonians often speak warmly of her support, crediting her with the confidence, skills and knowledge that helped them on their way to studying French at some the country’s top institutions.

A moving compilation of videos from former pupils, assembled at Mr Boardman’s request, proves this beyond doubt.

Outside the classroom, Margaret has been a constant, quietly steadfast presence at Hampton. Indeed, you would be hard pushed to find a colleague who has attended the same number of concerts, recitals, and performances as Margaret has during her time here.

She would tell you that it is often better than anything you pay more money for in Central London. As usual – always – she is right.

I have no doubt that Margaret’s absence from the Common Room and classrooms will be felt deeply, especially by those of us who know her best. We shall miss her sharp Scottish wit, calm wisdom, unwavering integrity, and deep care for everyone around her.

We wish her all the very best in her hard-earned retirement and look forward to seeing her again at Hampton in the future. TRA

Mark Yates

We say goodbye to Mark Yates after over ten years at the helm of the Physics Department at Hampton.

During his time here he has overseen the arrival of sixteen Physics staff members, marshalled hundreds of pupils through the A Level, and handed out thousands of his infamous pun-titled worksheets such as ‘Not a moment too soon’, ‘Get a half life’, and ‘How dense are you?’.

Indeed, his wonderfully dry sense of humour made working with him a real pleasure, and ensured the boys consistently enjoyed being in his lessons – even when they were being corrected again on their pronunciation of ‘De Broglie’ or being made to write the phrase ‘top pan balance’ for the hundredth time.

Joking aside, it was Mark’s attention to detail in the classroom that made him such an excellent teacher, highlighted by his regular references to what ‘Mr OCR’ – who I am confident several Sixth Form pupils still believe is a real person – wants you to write in your exams.

The boys in his classes always came to really appreciate this level of detail, and Mark’s example here is one which the rest of the Department aim to follow.

Outside of Physics, Mark was a dedicated Form Tutor in the Sixth Form, where he offered valuable guidance to the pupils as they prepared for life beyond Hampton. It was perhaps the most fitting of send-offs that his final form group won one of the most difficult competitions there is to win at Hampton: The Interform Cup.

I have rarely seen Mark more proud than when he was celebrating with the boys and the trophy at the end of two full years of competition!

And speaking of send-offs, Mark leaves Hampton with arguably one of the more memorable departures in recent memory, after his one – and only – appearance in the Hampton lion costume in the final assembly of the year.

Rachael Hill

Rachael Hill, was with us at Hampton for 9 years and is a huge loss to the Geography Department. Dedicated to her pupils, she was a first-class teacher of Geography.

Making excellent resources and ensuring her lessons were both enjoyable and challenging, she inspired many to choose the subject at A Level and beyond. She sourced engaging speakers for our Sixth Form geographers – leading our GA lecture series – and was fundamental in planning new trips to Sicily, Tenerife, and the River Cuckmere.

Many boys have benefited from her dedication and hard work to get these trips up and running!

Oh, and who can forget her starring role in her wellies in the River Tillingbourne, alongside Mr Bett, juggling ‘Tilly’ the fish in the Geography Department’s amazing ‘virtual’ Field Trip during Covid!

During her time at Hampton, Rachael also took on the role of Assistant Head of Second Year, supporting many pupils with so much care and kindness – and her weekly blog always championed the year group so well!

Rachael also dedicated many hours to coaching Rowing, imparting her knowledge and expertise, and always making her sessions fun for the boys and other staff alike. She particularly loved coaching the J15C crew over the years and helped create many special memories for the boys in her crew by coaching them to wins at Bedford Regatta and even to a pennant at The Schools Head of the River.

Coaching on many training camps over the years, she always brought fun and enthusiasm to the tow-path. One memorable camp included her adding props to her bike every session, so by the time we came to the last day she was festooned with balloons, flags, and decorations!

We will all miss Mark’s dedication to Hampton life, and the Physics office in particular will never quite be the same without him.

We wish him the very best for his thoroughly deserved retirement, and hope he comes back to visit us soon.

OMW

In between Rowing coaching and lesson-planning, Rachael was always up for making life in the department office fun for her colleagues too; one notable occasion was the time when she convinced Mr Saul that she had a ‘pet micropig’ – named Crackles – and bought him in to the office in a wicker pet basket I am sure you can imagine his disappointment – and Rachael’s joy! – when he found out that Crackles was actually an electronic walking and oinking stuffed toy.

Introducing ‘office volleyball’, having many a sing-songs in the office, and getting the giggles – which proved infectious to me at the most inconvenient times! – were regular occurrences during her time with us here; her enthusiasm, fun, and kindness we truly miss – alongside her hidden talent at un-jamming the department photocopier!

We wish Rachael all the very best and know she is having a great deal of fun bringing up her young family.

CBR

Having been chased around the school grounds by the Harris – the school dog – he still had enough energy to run through the assembly hall and sign off his time at Hampton in considerable style.

Caroline Bellingan

Over four years at Hampton, Caroline has made a huge contribution to the History Department. Her energy, enthusiasm and dedication during lessons has inspired and enthralled pupils of all ages.

A common sight in the History corridor is pupils exiting one of Miss Bellingan’s lessons, smiles on their faces and chatting about the exciting activity in which they have just partaken. Learning does not seem like learning when you are having fun and that is something that is clear from her lessons.

As well as excellence in lessons, Miss Bellingan has been fully involved in the co-curricular side of the subject. She has attended numerous trips, such as the European cities trip, battlefields trip, Mary Rose and has organised and run the Windsor Castle excursion for First Years.

She has constantly supported the clubs the department runs, led extension discussions, and contributed to Historica Sapientia, the Hampton History Magazine.

She has been a wonderful colleague and friend to many in the department and we are very sorry to see her leave Hampton. However, we know that she will make a huge success of her move to Ireland and perhaps we should now start planning a school trip to Dublin!

OGR

Miss Bellingan was billed predominantly as a ‘History teacher’ when she first joined the School; her timetable fell very much in our illustrious History Department’s favour. And yet, even just teaching a few English lessons a week, it was immediately apparent that we had welcomed one talented teacher into our midst. So it was with great delight that we learnt a couple of years ago that the balance was very much shifting in our favour: Miss Bellingan was officially becoming much more an ‘English teacher’, a seamless transformation signalled by her welcome move to the English office.

Whilst still managing to inspire young minds through her animated and creative delivery of the History syllabus, play a seminal role in the active world of Hampton MUN, and fulfil her Tutor and Assistant Head of Year roles with dedication and compassion, Miss Bellingan aced it as an English teacher.

Her love of literature, deepened by her appreciation of both a text’s context and the way Hampton pupils are likely to relate to it, has been a joy to share, and the boys have benefited hugely from her dynamic and enthusiastic approach to all things English. A case in point has been the innovative ‘Zine’ (so innovative, in fact, that several of us had to ask for a definition of the term). Keen to foster independent thinking and

Jude Willoughby

Actor, model, Tesco delivery driver, and now Hampton School English teacher: Mr Willoughby’s CV just keeps expanding.

Of greatest significance, however, is his academic acumen. Joining us two years ago, fresh from an MA at the University of Oxford, Mr Willougby brought a wealth of knowledge which belies his years.

Since his very first lesson with 2H in September 2023, boys have been inspired and impressed by Mr Willougby’s familiarity with the literary canon and his insightful interpretations.

A forty-minute tour de force Willoughby-style leaves pupils in no doubt that their minds have just had the academic equivalent of a Beattie gym session: stretched, pumped, and pushed to their limit, ready to analyse the next text to its nth degree.

Not surprisingly, the Sixth Formers have particularly benefitted from Mr Willoughby’s tutelage – especially those attending the weekly enrichment sessions delivered with the equally esteemed Mr M Baker.

It is important to note, however, that, despite Mr Willoughby’s lofty academic credentials and pursuits, he is very much not your typical ivory tower inhabitant. As everyone who has been lucky enough to be taught by or work with him knows, Mr Willoughby wears his talents very lightly, and is the epitome of a compassionate schoolmaster.

He has demonstrated great empathy in his tutoring of 23-24’s 1J and 24-25’s 1G, and has established an open and supportive rapport with all his classes.

Throwing himself into school life, Mr Willoughby has been an enthusiastic member

originality, Miss Bellingan has encouraged her pupils to develop their own interests and voice, with the Third Years thriving on the opportunity to produce their own non-fiction publication on topical issues pertinent to them.

Not surprisingly, Miss Bellingan has aced it as a colleague, too. She has been so generous with her time, willingly shared her excellent resources, contributed to and embraced change, and met all challenges with determination and positivity: A*s all round! The thing we will miss most about her, however, is her presence. In the words of Mr Green, Miss Bellingan is a radiator (that is, as opposed to a hoover…): she radiates happiness and fills a room with laughter.

St Declan’s College, Dublin, are exceptionally lucky to have Miss Bellingan join them as an English, History and Drama teacher (primary allegiance yet to be declared). We wish her the very best of luck for her new adventure across the sea!

CER

of trip parties, venturing as far as Rome with the RS Department, and has frequently been seen channelling his inner Jimmy Dunne – apparently a standout player for Mr Willoughby’s beloved QPR this season – on the staff five-a-side football team.

We are going to miss Mr Willoughby greatly. He has brought so much joy and wit to our department, along with his characteristic kindness and thoughtfulness.

But, he is on to greater things at Harvard University, embarking on a PhD in the metaphysical lyric in the seventeenth century. And what is that? I hear you ask. Answers on a – very long – postcard, please, Mr Willoughby!

We wish him the best of luck and lots of happiness across the pond. CER

Annie Embiricos

Miss Embiricos leaves Hampton after three years of outstanding teaching, excellent collaboration with colleagues, and as a source of vibrant energy and enthusiasm for Modern Languages.

Pupils will fondly remember her lessons – especially her fine balance of encouragement and dry humour – and how she would manage to support everyone equally while encouraging a real passion for Spanish and French. Her contributions to the School have been substantial and varied, from Charity Co-ordinator to running French Clinic, from Assemblies about International Women’s Day, to leading hugely enjoyable trips to Spain, we have all benefited from her passion and commitment.

Javier Torras Casas

Her colleagues in the Quiet Room will always remember her sense of fun, choice of jewellery, matcha lattes, long to-do lists, and her frequent trips to Greece that formed part of her ‘Mamma Mia’ lifestyle.

We are especially grateful to Miss Embiricos for always being cheerful, full of energy and willing to help pupils and staff alike. She has certainly added joy, enthusiasm and a real sense of fun to the Modern Languages Department and to Hampton, and she will be greatly missed.

We wish Miss Embiricos every success as she moves to live and work in Athens; we know she will continue to inspire many more pupils and colleagues to learn new languages and to enjoy the cultures they represent.

MB

I have had an incredible year teaching at Hampton, and I want to thank the School as a whole – especially the Art Department. For me, it has been the most inspiring and supportive department I have ever been part of; genuine care and creativity are at the heart of everything they do.

Hampton has helped me channel the best of my artistic practice into my teaching, allowing me to grow both as an educator and an artist. This support has played a key role in the development of new ideas for my paintings, which led to the opportunity to exhibit at Crane Court in the City of London this year.

I am sad to be leaving, but deeply grateful for all I have learned and received during my time here.

Next academic year, I will be joining the Art Department at Tiffin School on a part-time basis, which will also give me the chance to continue developing my art practice – so, hopefully, I might see some of you at my next exhibition!

James Flanagan

It was clear from the very start that Dr Flanagan was going to be a fantastic addition to the Hampton Senior Leadership Team. James’ acute intelligence shone through from day one, as did his ferocious work ethic. It was a real joy to discover, however, that his intelligence was matched with a subversive humour, and his many talents were carried with real modesty. While intellectually driven, James was no cloistered academic and was as capable as critiquing the merits or otherwise of Stanford’s unofficial university mascot (a tree apparently) or the current attacking form of Liverpool’s midfield as he was of the latest Nobel Prize awarded for Chemistry. He was also an exceptionally kind man who was willing to give his time freely to anyone, pupil or member of staff, who wished for his support.

James’ original remit was to reinvigorate the Learning and Teaching provision in the School. His ‘Easy Wins’ sessions were a brilliant answer to the problem of how to regularly engage busy teachers with professional development in a meaningful way, and the image of him wheeling his tea trolley from the Dining Hall to the top floor of the School on a weekly basis will live long, as will the CPD benefits staff continue to gain from the sessions. As part of his Learning and Teaching role James also pioneered the use of in-house specialists to deliver short, focused sessions on INSET day. Not only has this proven a real success on the Academic side of the School but the same strategy has been embraced with great success for subsequent PSHE and Pastoral INSET. James also devoted much of his first year with us to updating the grade and reporting system, canvassing the views of a wide variety of colleagues to propose and enact a simpler, more nuanced grading structure throughout the School.

James’ problem-solving abilities and forensic attention to detail soon led to him becoming increasingly involved in other areas of academic life, ultimately leading to his change of title from Assistant Head (Learning and Teaching) to Assistant Head (Academic). This ability to turn his hand to new challenges led to one aspect of his role that none of us saw coming when we appointed him. The words Artificial Intelligence didn’t even feature in his job description, but James (somewhat against his own inclination) quickly demonstrated his ability to parse vast amounts of information, think critically, and consider consequences as the AI rollercoaster began to move. The balancing act of encouraging advancement but not rushing into problems is always a tricky one, and James managed the tightrope walk with apparent consummate ease.

Beyond his SLT remit, James was an outstanding Chemistry teacher. As Head of Chemistry, Mr Schofield reports: “James brought energy, expertise, and a dose of quietly-spoken good humour to the Chemistry department from the moment he arrived from Dulwich, where he had been Head of Department. A chemist of the highest calibre, he taught everything from First Year to Upper 6th (and beyond!), inspiring pupils and colleagues alike—especially in the field of organic chemistry (he

Alex Dalton

Although he was only with us for a year, Mr Dalton has left a lasting impression on both staff and pupils alike.

A truly talented teacher, he cared deeply for those in his care and planned his lessons with care and diligence. His ability to stretch the brightest minds, particularly in the Sixth Form where he ran extension work, brought out the best in our students and inspired many to aim higher.

had completed his PhD at Stanford on the topic of making new materials from organic waste before returning to the UK to teach Chemistry). James was a fantastic addition to the team and was always ready to share ideas and support others. He was a frequent flyer at the pre-A Level Results Day department social (and he will continue to be a welcome invitee!). And his legacy is set to last: many of his superbly designed resources will continue to guide pupils for years to come.”

James was also a great supporter of Hampton Music. Dan Roland, Director of Music, reports: “though well-known for his expert AI knowledge, brilliant teaching and ‘Easy Wins’, James is also an outstanding musician. Despite the busy demands of his job, James attended the Symphony Orchestra rehearsals weekly in the First Violins in preparation for our many concerts. He attended a large number of music events at Hampton, both on and off the stage, and he even supported the orchestra in our Choral Society Celebration where we tackled extremely tough repertoire. I remember multiple conversations with James where he commented on the number of notes he had to play, and his usual bubbly demeanor would temporarily lapse. I want to personally thank James for his incredible support of Hampton Music - his presence and positive words were always very much appreciated by me, the department and the pupils.”

James had a huge impact in his time at Hampton, whether on the SLT, in the Chemistry department or in the Orchestra. He is a remarkably kind and thoughtful man, and his considered thoughts are missed as much as his occasional ironic harpoons. There is no doubt that he has a bright leadership future ahead of him. James leaves Hampton to take up an exceptionally well-deserved Deputy Head role at Magdalen College School. We wish him all the very best in Oxford and thank him for all he has contributed to Hampton life.

SAH

Beyond the classroom, Mr Dalton was an invaluable member of the Boat Club, giving his time and energy to support rowing – something both the crews and coaches will greatly miss. Rumour has it that the dining hall budget will also breathe a sigh of relief now that he has moved on, such was his legendary appetite!

We wish Mr Dalton every success as he joins Radley, and we know he will continue to make a difference there just as he did here. He will be missed by pupils and colleagues alike.

NJS

History Department

What a year is has been for the History Department – filled with trips, societies,

competitions, talks, successes,

and so much more! Below are some highlights of the year.

Mary Rose

The Second Years visited the Mary Rose in glorious sunshine on the 10 and 13 June, to support their learning about the Tudors and specifically Henry VIII.

During the trip they were able to look at the Mary Rose itself in the museum and learn about life on board the ship before it sank. They then attended a workshop where they tried to understand why the ship was sunk using artefacts and accounts from the time.

Finally, the highlight of the trip was the 4D dive experience, which followed the archaeologists who found, excavated and then raised the Mary Rose from the sea floor.

Thank you to all staff who attended and especially Mrs Peattie for organising the trip.

Windsor Castle

On 7 and 10 October, the First Years travelled to Windsor Castle to enjoy a day learning about its history – specifically relating to William the Conqueror.

They enjoyed a workshop where they got to defend a castle and see how it developed over time and then they toured the state apartments.

A highlight of the trip was visiting St George’s Chapel, where many monarchs have been laid to rest, including Elizabeth II.

Battlefields

This year saw a change in the schedule for the Third Year battlefields trip, increasing the length from one night to two and therefore fitting in a few new sites. This meant that the Third Year pupils were able to gain an even better understanding of the Western Front, which supported their studies of the First World War in lessons.

We visited Vimy Ridge Memorial Park, the Museum of the Great War at Peronne, Newfoundland Memorial Park, Lochnagar Crater, and Tyne Cot Cemetery amongst other sites.

As is tradition, we laid a wreath at the name of Old Hamptonian A J Winterbourne who died during the Third Battle of Ypres. This is a poignant moment, in which thousands of Hamptonians have now participated, helping them understand the individual sacrifice of the war.

Lewes Priory Trip

The inaugural Sixth Form trip to Lewes Priory ran on Sunday 2 February, to compliment the learning pupils had been doing about the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII.

We caught the train down to Lewes on a cold morning to be greeted by our guide who led us expertly around the ruined priory, explaining the significance of the site and how the dissolution impacted the lives of monks there. This really brought to life what can seem like very distant events and enhanced the understanding of pupils – and staff!

When not visiting historical sites, we were able to enjoy the culinary delights of Ypres, the highlight of which is always the visit to the Captain Cook restaurant for chicken and chips!

The usual scrum in the chocolate shop then followed, encouraged by the ever energetic hype-man on the microphone. It is always amazing how much chocolate the pupils can leave with and then consume on the trip!

Thanks to all of the staff who attended and especially Mr Cross and Mr Lawrence who guide us expertly round the different sites.

After our tour, we then went to the local church for a lecture about the religious changes that Henry VIII implemented during his reign.

This was a very successful trip and one which we will definitely be running next year; I recommend all Sixth Form Historians try to attend!

History Society

History Society goes from strength to strength; it has now morphed into more of a quiz society, due to this being the most popular activity!

Numbers peaked at over 100 pupils for one quiz, with rounds about maps, monarchs and AI characters leading to whoops and cheers as the marks are read out.

We did also do some ‘serious’ history by debating the reputation of Winston Churchill and analysing the accuracy of the film ‘Elizabeth’. It has been wonderful to see the growth of the society and we hope that pupils will continue to attend in such large numbers next year.

ARCHIVES TRIP

The History Department launched its first ever National Archives competition – and it was a big success!

The competition – based on the Suffragette Movement and the Transatlantic Slave Trade –saw 21 Second Year pupils rewarded with a visit to the National Archives in Kew; the day offered an exciting opportunity for pupils to engage directly with original historical documents and deepen their understanding of the topics they had studied.

Our morning session was led by Andrea, who introduced the pupils to the history of the Archives and the importance of document preservation. One particularly memorable story involved Henry Cole, who discovered a rat had eaten part of a vital parchment in the 1830s – an incident that helped inspire the creation of the Archives themselves as a way of preserving our history for future generations.

This anecdote sparked immediate interest and set the tone for a day of hands-on historical investigation.

The first workshop focused on the Suffragette Movement. Pupils worked in small groups to examine facsimiles and originals of early 20th-century documents, including a police-typed travel log from 1904.

Pupils were challenged to deduce the purpose, origin, and context of the documents, developing their skills in source analysis.

One group explored the story of William Ball, a male supporter of the WSPU who, under the Cat & Mouse Act, was repeatedly arrested and force-fed in prison, as were many female suffragettes.

Pupils were particularly struck by the brutality of this practice and the courage of those who endured it. Another powerful moment came when archivist, Andrea shared a manipulated police photograph of a suffragette being forcibly made to pose for a mugshot – an image that prompted thoughtful discussion about propaganda and public perception.

After lunch, the second workshop, led by archivist, Sarah, turned to the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Pupils examined plantation punishment records and other primary sources, including a thick, heavy ledger documenting punishments for enslaved people as young as 5 years old – often for minor or arbitrary reasons.

One group analysed a hand-drawn flag created by an enslaved person, which depicted British soldiers, flags, and scenes of marriage and celebration. This sparked a nuanced conversation about the perspectives of enslaved individuals and their desire to be treated with dignity and humanity.

Throughout the day, pupils handled documents with care and engaged with challenging material thoughtfully and respectfully. The experience brought history to life in a powerful way, allowing Hamptonians to explore the past through the very documents that recorded it.

It was a deeply enriching day of learning, and one that we hope others will experience in the years to come.

SW

History Talks

The History Department has been very lucky this year to welcome a number of visiting speakers.

Firstly, OH Jake Amor came back to his old stomping ground to give a talk on anti-Catholicism in witchcraft pamphlets during the Tudor and Stuart period. It was a fascinating talk which was attended by pupils from all year groups, but especially impacted the Sixth Form who gained a brilliant insight into anti-Catholicism during the reign of Elizabeth I.

It was also brilliant to see Jake speak with such passion on the topic and to hear how history teachers at Hampton had inspired him during his time here.

Secondly, we welcomed investment banker, Dan Lock, a friend of Mr Roberts’ from university. Dan spoke on the benefits of taking History A Level and how this now helps him in his role in the City.

Citing critical thinking, debating skills and communication as the key areas from his study of history that he now utilises in his financial services role. The talk helped pupils grasp that taking History A Level opens doors and gives you a huge breadth of skills that are essential for the world of work.

Dan will hopefully be coming back to Hampton next year and so those who missed the talk will be able to gain from his insights in Autumn Term.

Finally, we were extremely pleased that Glenn Richardson, Professor of Early Modern History at St Mary’s University, came to Hampton in November to run a lunchtime discussion with some of our Sixth Form historians and give a talk to History Society.

Professor Richardson was able to talk with our A Level pupils about areas of historical debate in the Tudors and we gained some fascinating insight into his views on whether there was a mid-Tudor crisis. He then gave a fantastic talk to pupils from all Year Groups on the Tudors and war in Europe, which looked specifically at how events on the continent impacted Tudor foreign policy. The talk was detailed, but accessible and all attendees left with a better understanding of Tudor foreign policy.

We look forward to our visiting speaker line-up next year!

Classics DEPARTMENT

What a joyous boon it has been to see our blessed – i.e. not cursed – discipline return to mainstream media this academic year and be received summa cum laude. Think Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, Uberto Pasolini’s The Return – rivalled by Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, arriving from Ithaca in 2026 – new docuseries about Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar on Netflix and BBC iPlayer, TV great Jimmy Mulville’s ode to Classics on YouTube…oh, and that lovely woman whose letter to the editor of The Times sung unprompted of the value of Latin, Greek, and Ancient History.

Whilst we in the Classics Department have not got quite the same budget as the aforementioned do, we are delighted that our subjects were able to take centre stage and gain recognition in much the same way this year. It is, therefore, with great pride that we introduce Hampton’s awesome Classics annal, MMXXIV – MMXXV edition, the events of which are even greater in number than the reasons why Juno hated the Trojans. For those unfamiliar with Book I of Vergil’s Aeneid, there were a lot of reasons. If you keep reading, Mr Barber will reveal all!

ARW

In October, the Classics Department welcomed back six Old Hamptonians who visited the School to speak to pupils about why they picked Latin, Greek, or Ancient History as part of their A Level subject choices. They spoke about the impact these lessons had on their learning whilst at the School and beyond.

The alumni have followed different paths using their subject choices; the degrees they had gone on to read ranged from Classics and Modern Languages to Computer Science, and the careers represented in the room included solicitors, marketing professionals, and accountants.

When asked by a pupil why they would recommend taking one or more of these subjects as part of their A Levels, the alumni summarised that they:

• enjoyed the excellent, enthusiastic teaching whilst at School in small classes;

• developed exceptional critical thinking and analytical skills thanks to their practice in the translation and interpretation of ancient sources;

• had a brilliant grounding for better understanding of other cultures, languages, as well as specific terminology, from pharmaceuticals to legalese;

• stood out from the crowd, in job interviews and at networking events, because of the uniqueness of the subject.

No nostalgia was necessary in November thanks to the nostos of award-winning author of Classical fiction, Ben Kane, who visited the School once more after his brilliant talk on Alexander the Great in early 2024.

His enthralling lecture on Hannibal and the Punic Wars was of course the best part, but what came a close second was Ben telling us that our pupils show the biggest love of reading of any whom he has met in recent years, and only at Hampton School can he be confident that his books will sell out!

Now let’s hear from First Year pupils, Felix and Sammy, who attended this year’s talk on Carthage’s most ingenious general… ARW

The talk by Ben Kane was a fascinating one. We learnt lots of new things, including Hannibal’s tactics on the battlefield and how he took a whole army and elephants over the Alps into Italy. Did you know that these tactics are still used today?

We also learnt about how the Romans created their navy by studying other naval ships. On their ships they had a fall bridge that could slam onto the opponent’s ship, which could then allow men to run onto the other ship. They also had a sharp copper stone which they used to make holes in an enemy’s hull. This would allow water to stream into the rival’s boat, making it sink rapidly.

It was also very cool to see the different types of armour and weapons they used back then.

Felix & Sammy

Our older readers will surely remember Super Saturday at the London 2012 Olympics. Well, we propose 2024’s equivalent: Wondrous Week.

Okay, the name needs work – please do feel free send a letter to the editor à la The Times – but what we are trying to say is that the Classics Department and its devoted pupils enjoyed a wondrous week in November.

Indeed, merely five days after Ben Kane’s visit, we watched a superb production of Sophocles’ Oedipus at the Wyndham’s theatre, featuring Mark Strong and Lesley Manville. The 16+ rated production left no squirm un-squirmed as we slowly watched the unfolding of the most horrific realisation in all of ancient – and possibly modern – theatre.

The discomfort of the ratcheting tension was increased by a large digital clock, always visible on stage, which counted down from two hours (2.00.00), at the beginning of the play, to the moment of truth (0.00.00), in a superb piece of stagecraft; it was very hard to fathom how the actors pulled it off.

At the end of the play, after a good dose of katharsis, we agreed that it was one of the

best productions of a Greek tragedy that any of us had seen.

AHJ

Two days later, we swapped out elephants and blood-stained stilettos for rhinos!

Sadly, the 15 age-certificate limited how many pupils could accompany us to Kingston Odeon to watch this epic follow-up to Ridley Scott’s original epic; but, we very much enjoyed the depictions of triremes, the Roman forum and soldiers, as well as marvelling at the gladiatorial rhino (!) and now infamous shark scene (!!).

There is still a good amount of debate as to whether the Colosseum – or, rather, the Flavian amphitheatre – would have ever been flooded for sea battles, but it looked great on the big screen.

The pupils who joined us had a blast. We certainly did not agree with The Guardian reviewer who scribed ‘[Gladiator II] is a truly terrible film in almost every way imaginable, making even its wildly bombastic combat dull and trite’. Ouch!

Felix & Sammy

What better way to celebrate 25 years post-millennium by spending 2.5 hours cracking language-based codes?

That is what a group of linguaphiles did in February by taking part in the prestigious UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO) – a national competition in which pupils solve challenging linguistic data problems in some of the world’s 7,000 languages.

After weeks of training sessions run by the Classics Department and a soupçon of last-minute revision – they are only human, after all – a 28-strong cohort of pupils from Fourth Year to Upper Sixth sat the advanced round of the annual competition, many of whom were competing for the first time.

This year’s paper featured some particularly challenging questions involving Proto-Basque, SENĆOŦEN, Cherokee, and Egyptian.

There was also a ridiculously hard question which asked candidates to compare colours across lots of different languages.

Most pupils unfortunately found themselves chasing rainbows…

Nearly half of the cohort secured awards in this year’s UKLO, with eight pupils receiving silver awards – placing them in the top 15% of over 1,800 candidates – and five achieving bronze. Marvel at their names in the roll of honour below!

However, this competition is so difficult that to get even a handful of marks is hugely impressive – which everyone did – so heartfelt congratulations to all those who took part.

Silver awards: Rohan Chen, Max Flannery, Jihwan Moon, Taran Imbuldeniya, Hamoodi Al-Ali, Nico Alfonso, Jian Graffe, and Michael White.

Bronze awards: Nathan Navarro, Advait Bendale, Adrian Sprljan, Sam Field and Zaid Ahmed.

LC & ARW

Did somebody say ‘languages’?

Oh dear, you have set Miss Winstock off… she loves them and will take any opportunity to talk about them, including the two linguistic clubs which are run by the Classics Department in addition to the UKLO training sessions.

For the entire academic year, a dedicated cohort of budding linguists attended Junior Linguistics Club.

Linguists learnt how to solve all sorts of linguistic puzzles in all sorts of languages –be they ancient, medieval, or modern! – with highlights including the successful decoding of the Adinkra symbols from Ghana and the near-perfect translations of sentences written in Warlpiri: an Australian Aboriginal language primarily spoken by the Warlpiri people in the Tanami desert region of Central Australia!

The club even turned into a linguistics conference at one point, with David, in Second Year, theorising that the slang of the youth today sounds the same in running speech as it does in formal speech – does that mean that there’s no adult-friendly way of saying ‘skibidi’?

The puzzles studied were taken from the foundation and intermediate rounds of the UKLO, with a view of preparing pupils as well as possible for the advanced round of the competition in Fourth Year. Hard work was always rewarded at the end with some light relief: think a hotly contested game of ‘Guess the Language’, or a fun Kahoot! on Maltese.

Senior Sanskrit Club also returned with a vengeance, with some lion-hearted Fifth Year pupils deciding to learn this challenging ancient language from the Indian subcontinent in the months before their study leave. Not only did pupils learn how to read and write in this complex, intricate script, but they also learnt how to translate short Sanskrit phrases using their knowledge of vocabulary and the present tense.

They will be reading all 100,000 verses of the Indian epic, the Mahābhārata, before they know it!

ARW

March is always an exciting month for the Classics Department, as it hosts our two biggest events – as you will soon read about!

But the third month of 2025 had two more feathers than usual in its cap, both donned in the run-up to the Ides of March.

First up was a punky version of Sophocles’ Elektra at Duke of York’s Theatre, which had Hollywood royalty, Brie Larson, as its lead. A wacky, provocative retelling, this brought out Elektra’s fragile mental state as she planned revenge on her mother for killing her father, who himself had been assassinated for killing his daughter: i.e. Elektra’s sister!

Dysfunctional families are certainly not a new thing. The use of voice distortion and speech which often veered into shout-singing made for a visceral experience. It proved a marmite experience for the pupils who attended.

One Sixth Former even commented to me afterwards that it was the most ‘Greek Greek tragedy he had ever seen – which I suppose makes it a triumph of sorts.

Could Mark Strong and Brie Larson have been upstaged by some eloquent Hamptonians reciting Latin whilst dressed in red robes?

They could well have been thanks to this year’s Latin reading competition at St Catherine’s School in Bramley!

Our Third Year Latin pupils participated in the GCSE Level competition, showcasing their skills with confidence. Their dedication to mastering complex texts by authors like Vergil and Homer was evident, and Finn Readey earned the runner-up prize for his outstanding recitation.

Our First Year pupils also excelled, presenting a lively retelling of Palla Rubra – Little Red Riding Hood. Despite only having under a year’s experience, they delivered a spirited and humorous play, securing the runner-up prize. Their enthusiasm and teamwork were commendable, earning warm applause from the audience.

The event was a delightful celebration of Latin, with all participants demonstrating impressive commitment and skill. The pupils brought ancient texts to life, making the language vibrant and engaging. Their passion for Classics was clear throughout the competition.

Looking ahead, we are eager to return to the competition next year. Additionally, we will introduce a Latin play competition, where pupils will write and perform original short plays in Latin. This new initiative promises to inspire creativity and further enrich our Classics curriculum.

We look forward to another year of celebrating Latin’s enduring legacy.

VIB

And now for the first big event in the Classics calendar!

Following on from last year’s successful get-together of Hampton and LEH Classicists next door, Hampton hosted this year’s Classics evening.

After some ‘getting to know you’ games and welcome drinks and nibbles, Professor Catharine Edwards from Birkbeck gave us a lecture on ‘Mothers, murderers and role models’, looking at the representation of Roman women both in literature and in the archaeological record.

It focused on Livia, Augustus’ wife, and Agrippina the younger, Caligula’s sister. Livia was depicted as a strong woman, often as a Vestal Virgin - a representation which provided the model for her female descendants.

After this, Claudia Mahr, a Lower Sixth pupil from LEH, spoke about whether ancient literature equates might with right, and then Upper Sixth Hampton pupils Ben Williams and Nat Taylor sought to redress the balance about Nero’s ‘bad rep’.

This was another great evening, which Fourth Year to Upper Sixth pupils enjoyed. Highly recommended for future Classicists!

JWB

JWB

Hadrian’s Wall

So those in the Fourth Year and above had their March fun, but it was soon time for them to pass the baton to their juniors in the Second and Third Year, who embarked on an epic adventure up north to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumbria.

Although a profound gap in the haunting, desolate landscape had appeared since the trip was last run in 2023, the pupils more than compensated for this with their boundless enthusiasm and curiosity as we toured key sites along the ancient wall.

Let’s hear from Second Year pupils, Alex and Ilakian, to find out more… Disclaimer: Alex did use some artistic licence when describing the ‘absolute chaos’ of night one...

JWB

The morning alarm on my phone rang. It was time to go to Hadrian’s wall. Eager to get to the historic site, I sprinted out of the door, rushed into the car, with half a croissant in my mouth, and came to school at 7:20am.

We boarded the coach with our friends, waiting for the looming long journey to Chester and then on to the wall itself. After a few toilet-breaks at the service station, after some long-needed leg stretching, we collected our sandwiches and arrived at the city of Chester. Chester was once a Roman-controlled city, its ancient Roman name being Deva.

We set off walking to our picnic spot, next to the ancient Minerva shrine. Minerva, or Athena in Greek, was the goddess of tactical warfare and wisdom. Many people prayed to the ancient shrine, and it remains stood boldly. It is very rare as, unlike other shrines in museums, it has stayed its original location.

After praying to Minerva for good weather, we ate some lunch and set off to the Roman gardens. In the beautiful gardens, we saw ancient Roman pillars, mosaics, and even ancient underfloor heating systems called hypocausts!

A few minutes away, we came across the only surviving Roman amphitheatre in the UK. It was home to gladiator shows, that brought up to 1,000 people from far and wide.

We learnt how women and children sat at the back, how gladiators faced bears and boars, and how gladiators were prisoners of war and slaves.

Unfortunately, only half of the amphitheatre has been excavated, since it would take major demolition work to take out the remaining half submerged underground.

We visited and walked around the high Roman walls that were surrounding the fort in a playing-card shape. On the way, we saw famous landmarks such as the Deanery Fields, King Charles’ Tower, and the mysterious elliptical building – no one knows what purpose it served.

We continued with our coach journey past beautiful rainbows and tall hills, to our accommodation, The Sill. The rooms were en-suite – ours was anyway! – the beds were comfortable and spacious, and the food was better than I expected, with tasty hash browns.

We had fun evening entertainment in the form of a visit from Rufus Aelius Victor.

We snuggled into bed and slept to our hearts’ content. Then, the unthinkable happened. While we were sleeping, the fire alarm malfunctioned and caused absolute chaos

amongst the terrified dormitory rooms. In our pyjamas, we were prepared to go outside in freezing cold conditions; however, we were saved at the last moment by the call that it was a false alarm.

The teachers kindly extended our sleep for an extra hour.

The next morning, we got into our hiking gear, and met up with Kevin, our guide, at Cawfields Quarry.

While walking some of the length of Hadrian’s Wall, we enjoyed looking at wildlife, including ducks, swans, sky larks, and lots of breeding frogs! Hadrian’s Wall was beautiful and fascinating, and we were all in awe at the sheer craftsmanship and the effort it took for the Romans to build the entirety of the wall.

Then we arrived at the Roman Army Museum, where we saw some 3D films and tested our strength on a replica Syrian archer’s bow.

Afterwards, we departed for Vindolanda, and saw the famous tablets and ruins that gave us a good insight into what a Roman soldier’s life would have looked like. When we arrived at the hostel we did a quiz, and slept immediately, as we were absolutely shattered.

I am glad to inform you that no fire alarms went off that night.

On the final morning, we got ready to depart from The Sill and said our goodbyes. We started walking up Hadrian’s Wall again, saw no-more Sycamore Gap, and came together as a group to form human letters that said salve!

I was part of the ‘v’ – it was very good fun!

After some more walking, we saw beautiful cliffsides and lakes, along with steep walks and strong winds that almost swept us off our feet. On our final visit, we visited Housesteads Roman fort and viewed the barracks.

We even visited the ancient Roman fort toilets, nicknamed by us as the ‘the skibidi latrina’, and we all enjoyed a final group photo before boarding on the coach back to home.

In the end, the trip was very jam-packed with fun and was certainly one of the most informative and fun trips I have done so far at Hampton.

Alex

On the last day of the spring term, I went to the Hadrian’s Wall, a place rich of history and pagan gods. First, we went on a coach to get there. Though it was a long drive, we captured many photos of the scenery and talked to each other.

On our way to Hadrian’s Wall, we made a stop at Chester. In the Roman Empire, England and Wales were conquered by Emperor Claudius and his army of 40,000 men. Chester began to be known about around 76 CE when it was occupied by the Valeria Victrix legion while the Romans were moving north.

The location of Deva was very advantageous considering that it was the highest point overlooking the River Dee. Also, the river was an efficient way to supply goods and make communication better. These reasons with several other are why Deva was one of the most vital military bases in the Empire of the Romans.

In Chester, I saw the shrine of Minerva – the Greek version of Athena.

The most interesting part about the shrine for me was that it was an artefact which was never moved. Many artefacts are moved after being found by archaeologist. This means that it has been there for thousands of years without any human intervention.

Next, we went to see the Roman Gardens where we saw the baths; we were able to find out the three rooms in the baths which

would have been heated: the tepidarium, the caldarium, and the laconicum

After that, we had the chance to see Deanery Fields, an elliptical building, a Roman strongroom, aerarium, and the principia

The Deanery Fields were once home to some of the barracks. They housed 80 people in each block, and this group of people was called a century (in this case, it is not 100). There have been many theories as to why, but a common one is it was just a house.

The aerarium was my favourite place out of the four. I found that it was there to keep treasure and to hold a legion. It was precious to the soldiers as it had the standard. Finally, we saw the principia. This is where the Roman leaders would meet either for administrative work or for religious purposes.

Fun fact: the Prêt à Manger in Chester contains the remains of that principia!

We then continued to Hadrian’s Wall, which was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 122 CE. It took around six to ten years for it to be built fully. It stood at 5.5 metres tall and up to 3 metres thick. It was built in part to defend themselves from the fierce Caledonians who lived in modern-day Scotland.

Hampton School got to the dorm rooms at our hostel along Hadrian’s Wall, and, afterwards, we had a talk about Roman soldiers and auxiliaries.

Roman soldiers were Roman citizens who usually served for 20 years and had better pay. By contrast, Roman auxiliaries were non-citizens from controlled lands, who served for 25 years and had worse pay. Roman soldiers and legionnaires were known for their discipline.

I think the main thing differentiating a Roman soldier and a Roman auxiliary was that the former had a more blocky, rectangular shield while the latter had a more oval one. This could be seen from when they fought: the citizen soldiers would use their shields in a shield wall.

In the morning on Saturday, all Second and Third Year pupils went down to a lake where we got a lecture from an expert who told us about Roman discipline. They compared how the Celts would fight, using their voice.

When we were walking around Hadrian’s Wall, we got to see the beautiful scenery and we were able to ascend and descend steep hills.

Additionally, we got to see the Sycamore Gap tree. Unfortunately, before this year’s troops came, it was illegally cut down.

Ilakian

Keen that our last event in the calendar should not be a Latin, Greek or Ancient History exam in May, Miss Jacobs did a fantastic job at promoting a national art competition run by the East Midlands Association of Classical Teachers (EMACT).

This year’s theme was Ovid’s Metamorphoses, one of the most famous works of Latin literature from which countless Roman myths are drawn: think Daedalus and Icarus, Diana and Actaeon, and Minerva and Arachne.

Surely swayed less by the cash prize and more by their creativity, our mythology-mad Hamptonians were tasked with picking a story from Ovid’s poem, turning it into a work of art, and writing about it in 500 words or fewer.

There were some beautiful submissions to the competition, and we look forward to finding out how our participants did in the months to come!

ARW

There were no pupils at this fabulous and joyous musical version of Aristophanes’ famous play at the end of June – just the magistri magistraeque!

It is difficult to know where to start: great staging, awesome Sondheim musical numbers, gags aplenty, that guy from Glee, the best frog costumes I have ever seen, a grumpy northern Charon!

In the original play, Dionysus, the god of the theatre, makes a journey down to the underworld intent on bringing Euripides back to save an Athens lacking strong leadership and inspiration, but instead brings back the old charger Aeschylus.

Towards the end of the play, a contest takes place between the old style of tragedy, epitomised by Aeschylus, and the new kind of tragedy pedalled by Euripides. This play replaced these two with the old, poetical Shakespeare and the new, wordy, and rather angry Shaw.

Much para-tragedy and metatextuality ensued... and totam per noctem vehementer ridebamus!

JWB

If this piece had a story like finis on page 168 –First Year pupils who have just finished Book I of the Cambridge Latin Course know this all too well – then this paragraph would be it. We told you that our year was jam-packed, didn’t we? We hope that you enjoyed reading about all things Hampton Classics, and we look forward to regaling you with tales of the Classics trip to Sicily et cetera in next year’s issue! avete atque valete!

ARW

Chun Isaac Li

English DEPARTMENT THE

‘The plays of Shakespeare are not meant to be read, but acted.’

So said Dr Samuel Johnson, though we might humbly suggest that our Sixth Form Literature pupils, armed with notepads and critical zeal, would disagree.

This year, the English Department once again proved that the written word, whether on page or stage, remains very much alive and capable of inspiring spirited debate, creative flair, and even the occasional Freddo-based competition.

The academic year began with a flourish of intellectual curiosity. Sixth Form Literature pupils ventured to the National Theatre Archive to see Benedict Cumberbatch magisterial Hamlet. The production’s storm-lashed emotion and subtle modernisation offered rich material for their study of directorial interpretation, not to mention prompting more than one philosophical discussion about filial loyalty on the train back to Hampton – with just the odd comment about the bleak, nihilistic futility of our innately unjust existence. Powerful stuff.

This year also saw the second iteration of the Diversifying the Curriculum Conference, targeted at A-Level pupils from Hampton and our Partner Schools. The day began with a talk from Wendy Lennon on constructions of race in Shakespeare’s plays. Dr Lennon is an esteemed scholar and Arden editor as well as being a trained teacher – so she really was an excellent explainer.

Dr Lennon was a tough act to follow, but Professor Maisha Wester of Sheffield University certainly did not disappoint! A gifted communicator, Dr Wester lectured on Frankenstein and a paired text – the graphic novel The Destroyer. Opening up new perspectives to us all, Dr Wester brought to light how Frankenstein explores the question of race and does challenge – albeit in a subtle fashion – the violent institution of slavery.

Finally – though not before a delicious fish and chip lunch! – Dr Anna Bernard of King’s College delivered a lively lecture on Caribbean poetry, treating us to the skilled wit of Kwezi Johnson and the hilarious satire of Louise Bennett.

More about the diversification of the curriculum can be heard on Dr Wendy Lennon’s ‘Shakespeare, Race & Pedagogy’ podcast, where Ms Morse was a guest –see episode nine! It was a day that left all participants intellectually energised – and ever so slightly in need of a biscuit!

Meanwhile, the Writers’ Room continued to thrive, skilfully avoiding clichés such as ‘hotbed of creativity’. Weekly sessions brought together pupils across the School to share ideas, develop their craft, and occasionally battle narrative chaos through dice rolls and timed prompts.

The Writer’s Toolkit box – kindly donated by the HSPA a few years ago – has continued to prove itself an indispensable source of both inspiration and chaos. Armed with lollipop sticks offering random prompts – from opening lines to plot twists and dramatic finales – pupils race against the timer to weave stories that range from the profound to the gloriously bizarre. Sessions also feature collaborative exercises where characters, objects and events are swapped mid-story, often leading to unexpected – and occasionally heroic – narrative outcomes. Recently, 4K videos of faraway landscapes have also transported the group to deserts, forests and cities around the world, allowing them to ‘travel’ from the comfort of the Writers’ Room’s comfiest chairs – all without so much as a missed homework deadline!

All of the Writers’ Room members had a fantastic opportunity to see their stories come to life in Lion Print, our school’s creative arts magazine, inspiring stunning artwork by our talented Art scholars that now appears alongside their writing. Their creativity and imagination shine through every page! The Lion Print is a must-read, packed with inventive stories and beautiful artwork that showcase the remarkable talent across the school.

Congratulations to everyone whose work is featured!

Many boys also took part in national writing competitions, including the Young Writers Rotary competition, Young Walter Scott, and London Letters.

The following captures Third Year pupil Marcus Panditharatna’s experience and feelings upon entering – and subsequently winning! – the Richmond Performing Arts Festival competition for Junior Writers.

‘On the 28th March 2025, I participated in the ‘Richmond Performing Arts Festival’ for Junior Writers, an event where young authors gather in a theatre to have their work read aloud and performed by a company of young actors. I was lucky enough and thrilled to be invited with my story about change, which follows a man transitioning from a life of luxury to one of poverty.

To my pleasant surprise, I won my category and collected my award from the Mayor of Richmond! I would recommend this festival to anyone with a story idea; it is a fantastic way to see your work brought to life through a fresh perspective.’

Diversifying the Curriculum Conference

Eddie White

Neil Thakur, Marcus Panditharatna Writer’s Room

Extracts from some of our award-winning and highly commended authors can be read in the coming pages!

Hampton’s budding journalists also made headlines of their own. Fourth and Fifth Year pupils once again shone in the Newsquest Young Reporter Scheme, with Oliver Booth highly commended in the Breaking News category for his thoughtful coverage of the Wimbledon Tennis expansion plan.

Seven other pupils – Rahul Bansal, Manraj Grewal, Rory McEwan, Kiran Grover, Thomas Scrimshaw, Theo Liang, and Daniel McCahearty – received letters of recognition for their commitment. Over eight months, these pupils researched, drafted, and published articles on Newsquest’s This Is Local London website, balancing sharp reporting with the small matter of school work, GCSEs, and a busy cocurricular calendar!

Another tremendous success story came in the form of the Hampton Sports Chronicle. Under the expert editorship of James Eggleton and Archie Hurst, another stellar edition was produced. Amongst many wonderful features, readers particularly enjoyed a fascinating in-depth interview with rising county and England cricketer Naavya Sharma, as well as an inspiring article charting the exploits of our very own Catering Manager, Tony Claramunt, who completed the World Series of Marathons last summer. A remarkable achievement – both on and off the page.

The Department’s celebration of poetry also found new life this year. For National Poetry Day, teachers from across the School nominated their favourite poems, which were then displayed around the corridors for pupils to read and discuss. Once the votes were tallied, the Headmaster, Mr Knibb’s choice of Ozymandias and Mr Hemsley’s choice of I Wanna Be Yours, by John Cooper Clarke, emerged as joint winners – proving that even the most competitive verse can end in a draw worthy of poetic justice!

First Year pupils also put their reading skills to philanthropic use, taking part in a sponsored Readathon over the Easter holidays. Collectively, they devoured 479 books and raised an astonishing £2,342.44 for Shooting Star, Alzheimer’s Society and UNICEF. A feat demonstrating that stories can change lives in more ways than one.

For Sixth Formers, Theatre Club enabled the boys to go and see two one-act plays at Richmond Theatre – Table Number Seven (from Separate Tables) and The Browning

Version, both by Terrence Rattigan – which provided the perfect combination of tragic restraint and mid-century heartbreak. The evening sparked spirited discussion about human frailty, empathy, and the art of understatement – though fortunately not in the Rattiganian sense of suppressed despair!

Character Day brought its usual riot of literary colour to the Second Year corridor, where pupils once again donned costumes inspired by their favourite books. This year’s guest speaker, Alice McIlroy – author, former teacher, and expert in all things dystopian – captivated pupils with her reflections on crafting worlds that feel eerily familiar. Between the inspired outfits and the charitable fundraising, the event once again proved that reading remains Hampton’s most stylish accessory.

Thus, as another literary year closes –more akin to the end of a chapter rather than the novel as a whole – we find ourselves echoing Keats’s belief that ‘nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.’ From Shakespearean tragedy to dystopian imagination, from verse to reportage, our pupils have continued to prove that words, in all their forms, remain the most powerful way to experience and shape the world. MMB

Character Day

COMPETITION WINNER:

‘Change for Change’,

by Marcus Panditharatna, Third Year

The sun had just peeked over the frosty windowsill of his sixth-floor apartment. He sat at the kitchen table as the cool London light rolled across the room. The heat from his hot chocolate warmed his freshly shaven face and soothed his mind. The taste of rich cocoa melted in his mouth. He walked across the room in his silk dressing gown and leather slippers. He peered out of the large windows into the stunning cityscape. From the other room, the luxury toaster launched two pieces of golden-brown sourdough bread across the room and onto a beautiful porcelain plate.

Suddenly, there were six firm knocks on the door, and then another six firmer knocks. He set his steaming mug down and opened the oak door to see a man in a high-visibility jacket walking away, turning a small mallet in his hand. Then his heart sank to the floor as he saw a piece of paper nailed to his beautiful door. Three words in bold red stood at the top of the page… Immediate Eviction Notice

Six weeks later, the cold sun had just peeked over the frosty rooftops, looking down towards the foggy pavements. He lay slumped in the doorway of an abandoned corner shop with all his possessions at his side. The wind felt cold and harsh upon his face, and the frost bit at his hands and feet. His breath was the only warmth that he had felt for six interminable weeks. He clasped his hands around his face in despair. He felt the stubble accumulating around his chin. His thin hoodie was decorated with stains and marks. His stomach rumbled as he felt the crunch and taste of golden-brown toast, savouring each bite. His mug, that once held deliciously creamy hot chocolate, now held six humble pennies and a note with only three words… ‘Spare change please’.

Image: Jake Leonard / Unsplash.com

The following story by Elan Latif was ‘Highly Commended’ in the 11 to 15 category by the judges of the ‘Young Walter Scott’ prize, a competition for historical fiction.

Elan’s introduction:

Afghanistan has a rich and varied history. It has been subject to numerous military invasions over the years; from the Persians and Alexander the Great in ancient times to the Russians and US more recently. It is a region of great interest to me and one that till today suffers from unresolved conflict. Afghanistan underwent a major transformation when the Taliban came to power in 1996 and I wanted to write a story from the point of view of a child whose life was irrevocably changed by these events.

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

‘Hope’,

by Elan Latif, First Year

The day started like a mottled bruise of purple-yellow swelling across the sky. In Afghanistan the day was still in its early beginnings, summer beginning to spread its plump yellow fingers of life throughout the ravaged landscape. Aisha frowned against the growing light as she made her way, furtively glancing around and quickening her pace, knowing there would be no respite if she was found outside on her own.

Despite her young age, her face was like a ragged old blanket, worn and weathered by constant worry and pain, typical of an Afghan woman, especially in these times. The year was 1997 and drought had left the landscape barren and bare, as if in sympathy with the desolate, destroyed state of its people. It had been three months since the Taliban had come to power, three months since her life was burnt to ashes before her, and three months since she had last smiled.

Aisha looked around, her eyes plain with fear and worry. The sun now shone in earnest, and she knew she had left home too late. There was safety in the darkness. Even as anxiety pulsed through her, she thought, as she so often did, about her family and where they might be, safe or not. She stopped. It couldn’t, it wouldn’t, it must not come to that.

It felt like a lifetime since she had seen her father’s warm, welcoming face, his eyes always wrinkled in happiness, his smile ready to shine across his features. A lifetime since

Comment from judges:

This story captures the spirit of the ‘Young Walter Scott’ Prize: a youthful voice navigating a vast historical canvas with grace and insight. Its structure is compelling, its language evocative, and its ideas about loss, survival, and the transformative power of education, resonate deeply. Highly commended indeed!

she had seen her mother with her quick hands always busy sweeping, chopping, cooking, the scent of her meals fragrant in the air. Yes, she thought, they had to be safe, for the alternative was no alternative at all.

The Taliban had come without warning three months earlier. They careened into the village in dusty jeeps, angry faces and strong hands gripping Kalashnikovs. They had taken her father, the headmaster of the village school where girls were taught as well as boys, and as her mother screamed and kicked in protest, they had taken her too.

The last three months had been ruinous for her village. It looked like a charcoal wasteland, with devastated houses, bombed streets and ruptured pavements decorating the scene. She pulled her burka tighter around her (its constricting feel reminding her that every movement and every word she spoke was being monitored and controlled, reminding her she was not – and would never be – her own person).

The building was small and cramped, and Aisha looked at it with bitter distaste and distrust, although it had been her best friend who had whispered its secrets and promises to her (a haven, a refuge, a way out). She paused, looked around, paused again. The sun was rising higher and higher. She was going to have to make a choice. She felt tense and threatened. Either way, she knew she was in danger, so with a deep breath and clasping her hands together, she entered the building.

It was dark. She felt the darkness wrap around her, its twisting coils trapping her, scaring her, confining her. She made her way slowly forward, her hands brushing against the walls for guidance, her heart deafening in her chest. What had Samira told her? She sought the memory desperately: continue

along the corridor, there will be stairs leading down, a door at the end. She walked, fear plain in her eyes, constantly judging, assessing, attempting to understand where she was. There was a noise—a bang. She heard it, she felt it, she felt fear encompassing her, enclosing on her and then…

A light… a face… A smile…

A man smiled at her; his creased, papery skin giving him the impression of wisdom and kindness, his smile reassuring even when she knew her life was still in tattered ruins.

‘Welcome,’ he croaked. ‘Welcome to your New Haven.’

The room was dim and enclosed, hidden amidst a medley of discarded items, giving the everyday passer-by the impression that it was a ramshackle, old warehouse. Bits of paper were scattered all over the floor, decorated with lopsided, broken words and phrases. Although there was light, laughter and chatter warming the room, everyone was aware of the consequences (and the punishments) they would face for committing, in the Taliban’s eyes, the most heinous crime of all. They were going to school.

Aisha’s first impression was one of great excitement and joy. Her eyes took in the haphazard, slightly wild nature of the classroom. Small groups of girls clustered together, whispering in hushed voices.

‘Attention,’ the teacher wheezed in a muted voice, careful not to raise it too high. The class fell immediately silent.

‘We have a new student today,’ he said, gesturing towards Aisha. Heads turned and nodded encouragingly as the teacher proceeded with that day’s lesson. From the centre of the room, Aisha smiled.

Image: Annie Spratt / Unsplash.com

Form Charity

It has been another busy year for Form Charity, and we are very excited to share that we have been able to raise over £17,000 for the incredible causes which the School voted for in September.

This year, we supported Shooting Star Children’s Charity on a local level; Alzheimer’s UK nationally; and UNICEF on an international level. All your support and engagement with Form Charity events this year will therefore provide essential care for sick children and their families; give support to those being treated and living with Alzheimer’s; and provide worldwide support for children in need.

It is only through engagement with us, through all our activities and events that we can secure funding for these causes, we give you our utmost thanks for your support.

Our fundraising year started off with a bang with a very successful set of quizzes. The First, Second, Third, and Fourth Year quizzes – alongside LEH – take place over lunchtime, hosted both at Hampton and LEH; these raised £234.17 from contributions of teams taking part.

A huge congratulations to all our winning teams this year, from both sides of the fence. We have also had increasing links with LEH through Sixth Form committee lunches, which led to the planning of various events, a particular highlight being the Sixth Form rounders event.

The ever-active and seemingly tireless Music Department gave their stupendous Carol Concert and raised an additional £740 for our Charities.

We are also forever grateful for Learning Support, the English department and the First Year team, for their lip balm sales, readathon & character day, and cookbook respectively, which together raised an incredible £3,118.

The Bake Sale in particular was a very busy break time for all of our volunteers; hundreds of baked items were donated by the Second Year, to whom we are extremely thankful. Through this, we were able to raise a delicious £452, with approximately 700 baked servings bought and sold.

Further events include our Mufti days, Feltham food bank collections, the shoebox collection at Christmas, and the much awaited First Year fun run, which, due to its success last year, was expanded to include the Second Year – much to their rolling and hoping delight!

What round-off could be complete without thanking those so central to the success of Form Charity?

Miss Embiricos and Miss Holt took over the role from Mrs Michelsen while she was on maternity leave, and have been paramount in our organisation and actions, which, for those of you familiar with their work, will come as no surprise at all. It would not be right to omit our fellow members of the Sixth Form Charity Committee, who have volunteered their time, effort, and capabilities, in support of the fundraising causes.

Finally, we thank you, dear reader – student, staff, or parent – we know that it is only ever through mass engagement, your engagement, that we are even close to being able to support the causes which we do throughout the year.

Mrs Michelsen, Miss Holt and next year’s new Sixth Form charity committee now await – with bated breath – your nominees and votes for next year’s charity selections.

Model United Nations

Model United Nations has now been an established activity at Hampton for 13 years!

I feel very privileged to have seen countless Hamptonians flourish and thrive through their involvement in this enriching global programme.

The 2024-25 season provided numerous highlights and successes, but as ever, the most rewarding aspect of MUN is the camaraderie within our ‘squad’ as one of the few, truly ‘vertical’ co-curricular clubs at Hampton.

We participated in five conferences – REIMUN, LOSMUN, LEHMUN, EPMUN, and HMUN – and accumulated an impressive winning streak as the year progressed. 73 delegates represented Hampton across the five conferences we took part in. We won 7 ‘highly commended delegate’ awards, 12 ‘distinguished delegate’ or ‘best delegate’ awards, and two ‘distinguished delegation’ awards.

Our final distinguished delegation award of the year was achieved at Haileybury, widely regarded as one of the most prestigious UK MUN conferences, and certainly the largest, with 800 delegates in attendance from all over the world. This was a wonderful achievement for the delegation of Cuba, comprising Vihaan Kukreja, Gabriel Kelly, Xavier Fricot, Leander Koutsoudis-Bhuller and Theo Cheng.

A special mention must also be reserved for Digby Joice, one of our youngest debaters from the Third Year, who managed to win an award at every single conference, which is a highly impressive achievement, and I think, a Hampton MUN ‘first’!

Several Sixth Form pupils acted as external guest chairs at REIMUN, LEHMUN and HMUN, including Sam Govier, Isaac Crowhurst Gabriel Kelly and Noah Kelly.

Our 2025 ‘leavers’ were a truly loyal and impressive group who have committed hours to MUN over many years.

Their successes in the form of awards, external chairing positions, or simply helping to run our weekly club have been plentiful and incredibly valuable. Words cannot express how grateful I am to Sam Govier, Isaac Crowhurst, Rishi Vijayan, Jasper de Linde and Edmund Ng. We have seen them develop from inexperienced, slightly nervous young delegates into confident, knowledgeable, erudite speakers and leaders and we are so proud of them!

All our delegates have benefitted from their wisdom, experience, and humour, and I cannot imagine our weekly MUN club without their presence.

As ever, the MUN experience is best captured by our delegates, in their own words, so thank you to Aidan Goemans, Rahul Kumar, and Xavier Fricot for their reflections below on the 2024-25 season.

And, finally, I would like to express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to Miss Bellingan for the incredible enthusiasm, energy and sheer joy she has brought to MUN over the last four years. I simply could not have managed without her. She has utterly embraced the spirit of MUN debating and the humour, hard work, hours and heart she has put into this activity has helped to create a wonderful atmosphere in our weekly club and at every conference we have attended. All delegates, past and present regard her very highly indeed and the messages I have received from pupils who have left the school, wishing her luck and thanking her for the difference she made to their lives have been inspiring and humbling. Thank you from all of us, we hope you encounter MUN again, and we wish you lots of luck in the next chapter of your life.

The MUN Year

Rahul Kumar:

I thoroughly enjoyed my first MUN conference at LEH. It was an amazing way to experience the true spirit of MUN as well as taking part in lots of fruitful debating!

I was representing the delegation of Israel on the Political Committee, and I enjoyed debating the creative resolutions many other delegates had come up with. I found it to be a very welcoming experience too.

Although it was my first conference, I was able to stand up and make a few Points of Information and arguments. Over the first day, we all debated in our designated committees. However, on the second day, we all came together to debate as nations which I found quite different – considering the range of points people made. Plus, we had the surprise of a fictional crisis to solve.

Overall, there was lots of time for delving into discussion and arguing; however, there were always elements of fun and enjoyment. I would highly recommend joining MUN!

Xavier Fricot:

To round off the successful MUN season, Hampton delegates, representing Cuba and Guyana, attended Haileybury MUN conference. An experienced team of Third Year to Upper Sixth Hamptonians were armed with carefully crafted policy statements and resolutions to bring to the largest school-led MUN event in the world.

Alongside the delegates, Hampton MUN faithful, Sam Govier and Isaac Crowhurst, were attending their final MUN conference, chairing the Disarmament and International Security Committee and the Ecology and Environment Committee.

Arriving on the Friday evening, just in time for lobbying, Hamptonians mastered ‘the art of the deal’ with delegates courting support for their resolutions in the hope that theirs would be debated. Across the next two days, there were debates on topics ranging from freedom of the press in the Human Rights Committee to the security of trade routes in the Security Council. Indeed, Gabriel Kelly, representing Cuba in the DISEC committee, was successful in his endeavours, presenting (and passing) his resolution. His convincing speeches also saw him earn the highly coveted Distinguished Delegate Award.

Fellow Lower Sixth Former Felix Robinson and Third Year Digby Joice were both likewise awarded this prize in the Human Rights Committee and Technology and AI committee, respectively, this time representing Guyana.

The Cuban delegation also achieved further success, with both Vihaan Kukreja and Xavier Fricot picking up highly commended awards in the SPECPOL and ECOSOC committees.

Although the conference brought an end to the Hampton MUN careers of the Upper Sixth, it was evident that a bright future is in store for Hampton MUN.

We are grateful for all the time and dedication both Miss Field and Miss Bellingan put into organising our participation –without them, the conference would not have been a success.

Aidan Goemans:

I have loved my time at MUN club this year. In the second term of this year, my friend, Digby Joice, mentioned it to me whilst we were on the bus, and I was immediately interested. When I started, it was quite difficult to understand the style of debating and what to say when, although I soon adapted and started speaking up.

I learnt and listened to my peers, and this really helped me gain confidence which I then used to start debating on my own. We debated about nuclear weapons, reforming the UN’s security council and even the question of Donald Trump.

No matter what you are doing, whether it is having a laugh with your friends or getting into some serious debating, MUN is a perfectly balanced and fun club which I would highly recommend to anyone.

Sam Govier – Upper Sixth Leaver:

As a First Year walking into what was then Room 82, I could never have guessed where MUN was going to take me at Hampton – or, for that matter, what the club was going to become.

When I joined, our members were able to fit into a Sixth Form teaching room with only the slightest sense of overcrowding –quite a change from the packed out lecture theatre present for my final session this year, at which we were joined by delegates from our friends next door at LEH. I think this really sums up what MUN at Hampton has become – we have grown to be one of the best attended clubs at the school, and are unmatched in our variation and co-operation – perhaps expectedly given the nature of MUN! – with boys from every year at the school working and debating together to solve a number of pressing issues.

I, for one, am hugely grateful for everything MUN at Hampton has given me. Though my academic path may have taken me down the scientific route, with little room for the humanities that I also enjoyed, MUN allowed me to keep my interest in current affairs alive – not to mention the lasting skills of public speaking, critical thinking, and teamwork so deeply ingrained in the club. I think that this is one of the truly great things about MUN – no matter what your interests are academically, or what the future holds for you, there is always a seat available for you at 12:35 in the Lecture Theatre, every Tuesday, ready to teach you attributes which will serve you for the rest of your life.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the relentless dedication of Miss Field, who gives up her lunchtimes each week to run the club, as well as many weekends to accompany us to conferences, giving Hampton one of the most varied and enjoyable MUN calendars around, and who is owed massive thanks. I would also like to thank Miss Bellingham and Mr Agulian, who have both now left us for pastures new, but certainly made their mark on the club in the time that they supported us. Thank you also to all the boys, both past and present, who attended and gave us such lively debate each week – it is something I will never forget!

Miss Bellingan:

After the unbridled success of our 2023-24 season, Miss Field and I were anticipating a highly joyful and successful MUN-run again this year. And we were not wrong!

Our pupils thrived this year as ever, at club and conferences alike, and it was wonderful to see so many new faces across all year groups in and amongst ,and learning from, our more experienced debaters.

Our MUN-ers are characterised by their generosity in spirit and with their time. One of the greatest qualities about MUN is how committed our members are and their keenness to help the club and fellow club-goers grow is infectious!

This year we have been thrilled to have Sam Govier and fellows chair debates on a number of crises of his own and others’ making, and it has been a real joy to see our other experienced delegates working closely with our newer, younger debaters to submit amendments, develop their confidence, and hone their Oracy skills. The vertical nature of the club makes it truly invaluable and is what makes MUN such a unique, fun, and engaging space within the school.

The wit and tact with which our pupils’ debate when at conferences, which, let’s be honest,

are daunting at the best of times, never fails to floor me. They are quick on their feet, knowledgeable beyond their years, and even if they are representing a small a nation such as Liechtenstein, they’re always prepared to go toe to toe with anyone from the Security Council.

In essence, our delegates this year have been dauntless. Particular shout out here must, of course, go to our own Digby Joice for winning an award at every single conference this year, something that will from hence forth be known as ‘doing a Digby’!

There is no doubt MUN is somewhere any pupil, no matter their interests, skills, or beliefs can come and commune in active and interesting debate, can learn from each other, and, most importantly, will form new and different bonds. To me, this is what makes MUN magic, and I am immensely proud of the way each of our MUN-ers leaves their pride at the door when they attend club and conferences and throws themselves earnestly and whole heartedly into the process; this really is the recipe for making the most of MUN, school, life….

The fantastic success and immense fun we have had this year has only been made all the more special and poignant for me as this is, in fact, my last MUN season at Hampton, as I will be leaving at the end of this year. Not to

sound like a walking – typing – cliché, but it is quite impossible for me to quantify or express in words the profound impact taking part in MUN at Hampton has had on me.

In particular, I would like to take this opportunity to publicly and embarrassingly express my undying thanks to Miss Field for bringing me into the club. It has been more fun than I could have ever imagined, and I am just so grateful to have worked with you these last few years. The time, effort, and energy that Miss Field dedicates to the club is remarkable and I have learnt so much while being her ‘First Mate’ and helping to steer the ship that is MUN. The boys and I have been very lucky indeed to have her. Thank you for everything you have done and thank you for all the side-splitting laughs along the way.

Finally, I need to thank all of you, our dedicated MUN-ers, for the good times, the silly debates, and the amazing winning highs! I will not say much more here, for fear of overegging the pudding, but I will say this: relish these MUN experiences, thoroughly. There are few other things in school like it, and you will learn more in MUN – dare I say it – about the world and yourself than in most other areas of school life. You have no idea where it may take you, so lean in and have fun!

CHESS

Once

again it has

been a highly successful year for Hampton in chess, with even more fruitful results. This year, Hampton managed to not only win the Briant Poulter League convincingly but had also won the ECF National Schools Championship Finals, regaining our place on the throne of National Champions.

BRIANT POULTER LEAGUE

The Briant Poulter League is a round-robin interschool chess league. Hampton As and Bs competed in the 1st Division – the strongest – with the A team defending their title after winning the league last year.

Although there were a few shaky moments when it came to the match against Wilson’s, Hampton As managed to win 8 matches with only 1 draw. The Bs managed to draw 3 matches with 6 losses.

The A team finished with 17 points, 3 above Wilson’s in 2nd place; this meant that we retained our title in first place. The B team finished in a creditable 9th place.

So, for a second year in a row, Hampton As remain undefeated!

NATIONAL SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

Unlike previous years, there were 6 rounds rather than 5 during the National Schools Finals and so the first round would begin earlier. This format also included 4 games on the first day with a time control of 50 minutes + 10 seconds.

We travelled to Nottingham a day early, giving ourselves plenty of time to prepare for the next two days.

Much to the surprise of one of our players, there would be no room service – shockingly! – but we were fortunate to have enough time to play versus our number player, International Master Rajat Makkar, in a simul.

Rajat comfortably defeated everyone –including a very rusty Mr Baker who accompanied the trip alongside Mr Barnes. Nevertheless, this was great practice for the tournament.

Rajat also showed off his skills by winning a few matches ‘blindfolded’ during the tournament whilst we waited for rounds to be completed – no mean feat! Incredible!

Our team had the highest rating average in the tournament; the side comprised of the following: 1. Rajat Makkar; 2. Jai Kothari; 3. Anirudh Shidlagatta; 4. Luoke Wang; 5. Alexey Lapidus; 6. Tom Balmond

To win the tournament, the team had to have the most match-points by the end of the tournament. To win the match, a minimum of 3.5 points is needed collectively by the end, scoring 2 points as a match win. 3 points would score 1 point as a match draw, and 2.5 or below would score 0 points as a match loss.

Additionally, if multiple teams tied for a place, tiebreaks, calculated using different algorithms, would be used to determine which place a team would be in.

We went into the tournament fairly confident – but we naturally kept an eye on our main rivals: KCS and Wilson’s.

Round 1

Our first match was against Queen Elizabeth Hospital, whom we defeated 5–1. Although there were two draws in this scoreline, we had won generally quite comfortably and with no major issues on any boards.

Round 2

What came out from round 2 against Queen Elizabeth’s was quite unexpected. A shock even.

Although we outrated our opposition on every board, we lost the match 2.5–3.5. We were now

on 2/4 – which is jokingly known as a ‘Swiss Gambit’: getting a loss early on in a Swiss tournament to ease the passage to victory in the coming rounds.

Of course, it was far from ideal; but, after a short team talk, we refocused for the next round and knew that the plan had not changed: beat the team over the other side of the boards!

Round 3

The upside to a ‘Swiss Gambit’ is that the proceeding rounds tend to be easier – at least in the short term. Our main rivals, KCS, had also lost the previous round, so all hope was not lost yet.

We faced Nottingham High School and won cleanly, with a score of 6-0.

It felt good to enjoy a relatively straightforward win with only one more round left for the day.

Round 4

We were now facing Magdalen College, the school with the 4th highest rating average –and they also boasted an International Master on board 1. We would have to win this match to have good chances to win the tournament.

On board 1, the two IMs wrestled with hardly an advantage slipping to either side, ultimately resolving in a draw. The match-accuracy from the analysis was quite stunning!

Board 2 featured a very unusual doubledpawns structure, which Jai won during a simplification down to a rook endgame.

With the rest of the games ending draws, it was down to board 5 and 6 to score at least 1 point to win the match. Alexey had generated a monstrous attack on board 5, but Tom was down 2 pawns in a Queen-and-Bishop endgame on board 6.

Under time pressure and being unable to find out the knockout punch, Alexey lost in an endgame.

It was all down to board 6.

Tom controlled the light-squares with his pieces, creating counterplay. With very little time left, Tom won on time, winning us the match with a score of 3.5–2.5!

We would be playing Wilson’s the next day: a formidable team with the second highest rating average.

Round 5

After a good night’s rest, we were ready for a new match. There some very back-and-forth games on most boards against Wilson’s, but we managed to win with a score of 5.5 – 0.5.

As Mr Barnes and Mr Baker reported from their scrutiny of the matches live online, the team played some genuinely, staggeringly brilliant and accurate chess to dismantle such excellent opposition so emphatically.

The tournament was in our hands!

Round 6

KCS have been our rivals over many tournaments in recent years. Although a match draw would make us both tied for first, tiebreaks could put KCS in first place so a win was needed.

During a tactical sequence on board 1, Rajat emerged up a piece and won the endgame. Board 2 featured a clean conversion by Jai after winning a pawn in the middlegame. However, during a very locked position on board 3, Anirudh’s opponent managed to win material and fend off all counterplay, winning the game.

It was down to the last 3 boards to score 1.5 points to win the match.

Luoke had built up a very sizeable advantage on board 4, but unfortunately did not have a clear breakthrough, which resulted in a draw. Despite a shaky middlegame, where Tom had lost a pawn, a drawn rook endgame was reached on board 6. However, with very little time left, Tom went for the wrong line and lost the game.

It was down to board 5 to win the match.

Earlier on, an equal endgame with two bishops and a rook each had been reached by the players. However, as the game proceeded, Alexey was beginning to outplay his opponent – especially as his time depleted on his clock.

Soon, Alexey’s passed pawns came crashing through, forcing his opponent to resign.

We had won the tournament, rounding off a super successful year of chess!

Not only had we won the Briant Poulter League, but we had also won the National Schools Finals, making us easily the strongest school at chess in the country.

What awaits us in the future will always be uncertain – not least a potential trip to Washington to complete in the World Schools Competition! – but, what is crystal clear is that the future of Hampton School chess is in great hands.

Anirudh Shidlagatta

Young REPORTER

Hampton’s budding journalists in Fourth and Fifth Years once again shone in this year’s Newsquest Young Reporter Scheme.

Oliver Boot was Highly Commended in the Breaking News Category for his outstanding news-writing skills, impressing independent judges with a portfolio that ranged from sharp news reports to in-depth interview features. He was selected from hundreds of pupils across Britain taking part in the online programme this year.

Diana Jarvis, the Young Reporter Coordinator for Newsquest, gave the following high praise: ‘Oliver Booth was highly commended in the Breaking News category, which is a significant achievement, as the judges are very selective about which articles they approve for this category, given the strict criteria they require. His article, which focused on the Wimbledon Tennis expansion plan, a topic that has sparked considerable controversy among local residents, was written with great sensitivity. He gathered excellent quotes and should be very proud of his accomplishment.’

In addition, seven of the Hampton pupils taking part in the journalism programme received letters of recognition for their commitment to the scheme. Congratulations go to the following boys: Rahul Bansal, Manraj Grewal, Rory McEwan, Kiran Grover, Thomas Scrimshaw, Theo Liang, and Daniel McCahearty.

To achieve this recognition, pupils were required to research and write a total of eight articles in different categories, meeting strict deadlines between October and April as well as learn the basics of journalism law.

Their work was published on Newsquest’s This Is Local London website. Theo Liang wrote a fascinating article about Harris and the purpose of having a school dog which was singled out and published in the newsletter along with Rory McEwan’s punchy reports on the National Army Museum and a St Patrick’s Day festival in London.

Diana Jarvis also praised all of the Hampton students’ dedication:

‘Congratulations for demonstrating eight months of real commitment to meeting deadlines whilst learning all the time. It has been a pleasure to work with such responsible students.’

Well done to Oliver for his prize-winning success, and to all those involved for demonstrating creativity, professionalism and a real flair for journalism.

VCW

Quiz SOCIETY

Hampton Quizzing enjoyed another bumper year, with the squads at all age groups participating in regular lunchtime practice quizzes throughout the year, as well as several inter-Form competitions.

The focus of the Quiz calendar is the national Schools’ Challenge competitions, wherein we had another very impressive season.

In the Juniors, Alexander Murphy, Kaya Kozan, Ryan Sumanasekera, and Tom Jiang made very impressive debuts in the competition, whilst Jesse Galustian, George Wright, Alexander Arndt and Magnus Findlay had a storming run making it all the way to the Plate Final and missing out on the trophy by a hair’s breadth in an exhilarating match.

The Intermediate Group had a stunning showing in the competition, with not one but two teams qualifying for the main competition National Finals – a first for Hampton and, we think, for anyone!

Leonard Hamilton, Alfie Keller, Rahul Bansal, Thomas Net and Lorenzo Ingrassia finished in the top five, and Fred Owen, Dennis Hayes, Joe Bates and Hamoodi Al-Ali went all the way to the final, eventually taking home the National Runners-up Trophy after defeat against a dazzling Westminster side.

The Senior B team – Columbus Craven, Samuel Walker, Alex Pooley, and Kanishk Manjunath – enjoyed a very creditable run to the third round, where were edged out by South Hampstead High.

The A team – Ben Bates, Sam Govier, Oli Lenox-Smith, and Ronit Raj – made it all the way to the National Finals, hosted by Winchester College. The final result of Plate runners-up hides the fact that it was a very intense and closely-fought competition, at which Hampton showed its usual depth and breadth of knowledge.

Finally, it was lovely to see the return of OH Piers Marchant, who helped out with a special version of The Chase at Giving Day in July. A stalwart of Hampton Quizzing for years, as a First Year undergraduate, Piers made it straight into the University Challenge team at Trinity College, Cambridge. At time of writing, they look like real contenders but you’ll have to watch to find out!

Who knows if any of the pupils mentioned above will one day follow him onto the TV…

Bring on 2025-26!

CAM

Senior A Team

Intermediate A Team

Intermediate B Team

Junior B Team

UCAS & Careers

UCAS

Upper Sixth Hamptonians again applied to some of the best universities in the UK and indeed the world, and achieved 756 offers between them. 42 pupils – over one-fifth of the year group – received at least one offer from a Global Top 10 university – Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, and UCL – this year, and a remarkable 98% of the Upper Sixth received at least one offer from a Russell Group or equivalent university.

During our annual Universities Week, we had a series of talks provided by some of the perennially popular destinations for Hamptonians. including Bath, Edinburgh, Southampton, and Warwick.

The sessions provided a broad flavour of student life and apprenticeship opportunities at these popular destinations. The event also included a conversation between Old Hamptonians who are now completing their first year at University or on a gap year. These former pupils shared insights about their experiences, with a particular emphasis on the benefits of visiting the university in advance.

Open to LEH and our partner schools as well, the week proved to be a highly popular and informative introduction to the evolving arenas of academia and employment.

Overseas Universities

US university applications were once more a popular choice for our Upper Sixth, and we were lucky enough to have an online call with four OHs in the US, who spoke incredibly highly of their universities and really sold the ‘American dream’!

Three of the 2025 leavers – Harry Oliver, Teodor Marinov and Elliot Bird – along with a 2024 leaver, Conrad Knight, are now readying themselves for academic life in the US – at Northeastern, University of Miami, University of Virginia, and Lander University respectively. As recruited athletes, Harry (rowing) and Conrad (soccer) will also be gearing up for intense training schedules.

Our Canadian applicants were particularly successful this year, with Jerome Sharpe and Tristan Thorpe currently holding offers for McGill and UBC.

We were also lucky enough to have a number of offers from prestigious institutions in Europe, including Sciences Po, ESCP, IE, and Bocconi. Particular congratulations to Mateo Lemardeley, who targeted a number of business schools with global top 10 rankings, and received offers from every one!

We wish all of our 2025 leavers all the very best for their travels and future adventures.

Careers

This academic year, Hampton pupils have enjoyed a range of careers events tailored to their age and stage. We were delighted that Mrs Jane Hamilton, Appointments Editor for The Times, returned to speak to Fifth Year parents on the future of careers; she emphasised that most young people entering the workplace can look forward to ‘squiggly careers’ with multiple roles in multiple domains over the course of their working life. We also had an online presentation for parents of pupils in the Fifth Year and Lower Sixth by InvestIN providing tips on how to arrange work experience.

This year, our Careers week featured speakers from an array of backgrounds, covering everything from Geoscience to screenwriting and banking. Panellists were interviewed by Lower Sixth pupils and gave invaluable insights into entry points to their respective professions, as well as outlining the core characteristics need to thrive in the sector.

We look forward to another lively panel in 2026!

Finally, the Third Year enjoyed an inspiring afternoon hearing from professionals working across the full spectrum of creative industries including architecture, journalism, music production, acting and videogames editing.

If there is one thing current Hampton pupils can learn, it is that it is never too early to start thinking about the direction they want to take, and that soft skills like communication, collaboration, resilience, adaptability, and initiative are just as important as concrete skills and qualifications.

And, of course, at Hampton, there are ample opportunities every day to develop both!

Degree Apprenticeships

Increasingly, pupils are opting for university courses that include industry placements, or an explicit vocational element, reflecting the importance of workplace experience in a challenging employment market.

A number of pupils also applied for some of the most competitive Degree Apprenticeship programmes, and our Universities week featured Degree Apprenticeship speakers from the University of Warwick who explained the opportunities available at the university, alongside the benefits of graduating debt-free.

This year, a Computer Science applicant secured a Digital and Technology solutions apprenticeship at Amazon, as well as an annual grant and placement in a prestigious part of the civil service. Given the intensely competitive nature of these programmes, this really is an outstanding achievement.

SAW

Arts

Gangs, splurge guns, and pies; what more could you ask for?

Performing in Bugsy Malone with Waldegrave School was the pinnacle of Hampton life for me this year, and I wish I had taken part in a production sooner.

After a nerve-racking audition, I was delighted to be straight in the action as mob boss, Fat Sam, in a gang rivalry between infamous, Dandy Dan. At this point, I was oblivious to the fact I joined an exceptionally fun community, that would create unforgettable memories over the next 6 months.

I had one doubt when debating whether to audition for the play; mastering the New York accent. My first attempt at the accent started in the deep South, but thanks to Mrs Jones, I swiftly moved to New York with ease!

The rehearsals and time leading up to the final performances were busy, yet immensely fun and extremely rewarding. The intricate and extraordinary set, alongside the carefully chosen props really brought the play to life for me.

In addition, the fantastic cast from both schools also deserve a mention, everyone approached all rehearsals with boundless energy and enthusiasm, resulting in a highly professional performance.

Not only did I have the opportunity to throw pies and squirt people with water, I had a great time, creating countless friendships along the way.

So, I thank the great efforts of the Hammond theatre team and the incredible direction of Mrs Jones; it would not have been possible without you.

If the opportunity arises, I would highly recommend any Hamptonian to get involved in a production – you will thank me later!

Harry Weston

There was a buzz around the school even before the auditions – we all knew Bugsy Malone would be an amazing Junior Musical, put together by Hampton and Waldegrave.

Bugsy Malone may be known for its gangs in New York; however, our show, while having some tense moments, will surely be remembered for its humorous acts throughout.

The splurge guns will leave a mark on both the Hammond stage and in the minds of audience and cast for many years to come!

Much of Bugsy’s energy came from the jazz band who remained on stage throughout the performance, keeping the audience tapping away all night. The final song summed up how all the cast felt not only about the musical, but about life at Hampton as well. ‘We could have been anything that we wanted to be’, sung out by the cast as well as most of the audience.

Thank you to everyone, as none of this would have happened without the hard work from everyone on and off the stage.

Thank you to all the drama teachers, including Miss Chapman, Mrs Tiller, Mrs Watkins. Thank you to the tech team, especially Mr Elliot and Mr Thompson and Miss Thomas.

Also, an enormous thank you is due to both Mr Ferrier for his amazing musical support and to Mrs Jones for directing such a great show.

Finally, thank you to the whole cast, who were so committed, to the show. Bugsy filled the Hammond for four performances, but it could have been forty, such was the excellence of the show and the enjoyment it brought.

Charles Brain

The joint Senior Musical this year was 42nd Street, hosted by LEH. It was a sequined spectacular which saw our pupils shine in their vocals, tapping dancing, and characterisation.

Several pupils took part in the show and made a huge impact on the audience.

Oli Lacey was a revelation showcasing his newly developed tap dancing skills, and Tom Cowley and Ben Rowe commanded the stage in their leading roles. The dancing of all pupils involved was so impressive and, most importantly, they looked like they were all having so much fun.

The show was entered for the National School Theatre Awards which we attended in June. We were all absolutely bowled over to receive the award for Best Musical, as well as performing We’re in the Money to the full house audience at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

Thank you to Miss Torrent, Ms Ashe, and Mrs Tate for working so hard on a stunning production, and well done to all involved! AEJ

The HOUND of the

BASKERVILLES

This year I performed in the Lower School production of The Hound of the Baskervilles – a spoof version!

This was an excellent show to be part of; it was filled with comedy, action, mystery, and even some comedic sketches – both in the dramatical sense and the artistic sense.

I have really enjoyed being part of this fantastic show; however, none of it came by accident, but from hours of rehearsing and commitment from everybody in the cast.

From almost the beginning of the auditioning process, I wanted to be the character Sir Henry Baskerville, the last remaining member of the Baskerville family who moves into Baskerville Hall after his uncle, Sir Charles Baskerville is mysteriously murdered.

But, since this was no ordinary version of The Hound of the Baskervilles, there were two different casts for Act 1 and Act 2, so I was sharing the role with fellow Second Year,

Charles Brain. This meant that there were a few complications in terms of character changes and involved the cast of Act 2 having to repeat Act 1 at a very fast pace!

This was such a great production to be part of because it helped me to make friends with boys from the cast who are in different Forms and different Years to me.

On the actual performance nights, there was a strong sense of excitement and nervousness beforehand; however, on both nights we rose to the occasion and put on a phenomenal performance!

I really enjoyed performing in The Hound of the Baskervilles and I cannot wait to perform in the next show.

Reuben Nicholson

The Summer Show was a comedy version of The Hound of the Baskervilles

I took the role of Watson, the clumsy assistant of the infamous Sherlock Holmes, in the first act.

After weeks of rehearsals and shaky line learning this was it. I was really excited as it was my first time playing a big role and, in the last rehearsal, I had finally managed to get through the first half without stumbling over my lines. Fortunately, the audience did actually laugh lots which was good as I was dreading a long awkward silence through the whole two hours of the performance.

One of my favourite scenes involved me shooting lots of puppets and creating my own sound effects, which did –after many ‘BANGs and numerous voice-cracks – completely destroy my throat!

I was very happy with having my own – prop! – gun, and I learnt lots of tricks with it over rehearsals – possibly when I ought to have been learning my lines…

Of course, the production would not have been possible without the help of the brilliant crew – getting ready hundreds of props, creating an amazing set, and making sure the lighting and sound was perfect.

Naturally, thanks is also hugely due to our amazing director, Miss Tiller. She put the whole show together and always managed to make rehearsals fun and engaging – and she made sure that each cast member had an incredible time on and off the stage.

I cannot wait for the next show!

Willoughby

Ewing

the comedy of errors

This year’s Drama Club production was an abridged version of The Comedy of Errors, a well-known play by William Shakespeare.

With me being a part of the Macbeth production last year, of course I had to join this too! As soon as I found out, I went along to Drama Club. I had been to Drama Club in my First Year quite a lot, so I was excited to join this production.

The story goes as follows: Egeon, a merchant from Syracuse, arrives in Ephesus to escape a violent storm that separated him from his children; he is sentenced to death because of a rule banning Syracusans entering Ephesus. However, at his hearing, he persuades Duke Solinus to set him free by telling the tragic story of his two sets of twins and the violent storm mentioned earlier. The duke says that if anyone is willing to pay a fine, he will be set free. But when one set of twins is mistaken for the other – calamity ensues!

It is a very funny play that I, and my friends, really enjoyed being a part of. Both nights of the play were a big success, much to my relief!

I won’t spoil the end for you; you will have to read – or watch! – the play to find out. I would recommend this play to anyone interested in studying their first Shakespeare play, as it is one of the shorter, and more understandable – kind of! – texts by Shakespeare.

Charlie Frank

A

CHRISTMAS CAROL A Ghost Story

SENIOR PLAY

Prior to A Christmas Carol, I thought that GCSE Drama was the end of my acting journey. However, when the email arrived with the information about this play, something pushed me to take acting up one more time.

Admittedly, when told that I had been cast as the lead, Scrooge, I was a little surprised that I had been picked – although, upon reading the script, I quickly found myself believing that it was a role that would suit me.

The rehearsals were a different experience to ones of the past, and it was a new challenge that I quickly found myself relishing. I received a great dea of support from the Drama department – in particular, our director, Miss Chapman, who helped me understand the nuances of the character and his mood shifts in greater detail.

I also found myself indebted to the lighting, sound, and costume crew who gave me a costume that I felt really embodied the protagonist and helped me fully capture the essence of the character.

Personally, whilst it felt easy to embody the sullen Scrooge, I also found that the jolly perspective he begins to develop was harder to portray.

However, I was helped by the other cast members who had characters with the exact opposite personality; I was able to draw inspiration from the way they presented themselves and by recalling previous adaptations. The performance of A Christmas Carol at the Rose Theatre was a personal favourite.

The overall attitude and atmosphere of the cast in rehearsals made for an enjoyable experience. Everyone ended up getting so much from the experience of being involved with the play – whether it was voice-projection, stage-presence, or simply having a good time!

Our performance went from strength to strength every night – which was very pleasing – and we were able to walk away knowing we had given it our all.

Speaking to the audience after the performance, they genuinely believed they had seen a quality production and were very satisfied with their night out – which made the entire experience even more rewarding. I gave my own interpretation of an iconic character and felt very good about it.

I hope theatre continues to beckon in the future!

Aryan Sharma

100 SIXTH FORM PLAY

Our Sixth Form Play was directed by Upper Sixth A Level Drama pupil, Rizwan Sharma, and featured a cast of seven.

The play was called 100; it examined how we look back at our own lives and the characters were forced to choose one memory to stay with them forever.

The play was perfectly executed, and Rizwan coped with some complex ensemble work and multi-rolling, which the cast embodied with ease.

The Drama Hall was full, and it was a delight to see the pupils work independently to create a performance together. AEJ

Drama Club Productions: Murder Mystery & The Three Musketeers

In my time at Drama Club, we devised a Murder Mystery play through a term-long game of Traitors – a story about a billionaire being murdered at his own party.

I was the billionaire’s gardener and Head of Housekeeping, but we all created so many other parts – such as the victim’s son or his best friend or even other billionaires.

After we had performed our production, we started to work on a play called The Three Musketeers and The Very Pretty Diamonds – which some of you readers might have come to see!

I was the Handmaiden and had a very comedic part.

Drama Club offers a vibrant space for creativity, collaboration, and personal growth. It is more than just acting, it is about developing essential life skills. Rehearsals gave us a strong sense of teamwork as we worked together to bring our characters and stories to life, helping to build trust and shared responsibility.

I encourage everyone to consider joining and getting involved!

Noah Neoh-Ahrbi

Theatre Trips

We have had another fantastic year for Drama trips for our dramatists.

The Upper Sixth pupils saw several plays at the Lyric, Hammersmith including Our Country’s Good, Raisin in the Sun, and a musical reinterpretation of Twelfth Night called Play On!

Our Upper Sixth A Level pupils also joined us with the younger Year Groups where we saw The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre, starring Ncuti Gatwa, with our Fifth Year pupils, and then Warhorse at New Victoria Theatre, Woking.

In June, we took our fabulous cast of our Senior Musical to see the professional production of Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue. This was a wonderful opportunity for the cast to see the show and inspired them for our own production in October.

We are looking forward to going on even more theatrical adventures next academic year.

Scholar’s Concert

On Thursday 3rd October, the Hammond Theatre came alive to the sound of music. You might think that some professional musicians had been hired, however, it was not what it seemed. In fact, it was 22 of Hampton’s amazingly talented music scholars performing their first concert of the 2024 academic year!

This was my first solo concert at Hampton School – and one which I will remember for years to come. As the concert began, the audience were in awe. It started off with a beautiful rhapsodical piece by Monti, played by a violinist. The scene was set for an amazingly, lively concert. From high-sounding trumpets to the large, deep double bass beast; the first half was filled with expression and intrigue with the final performance on Hampton’s wonderful harp.

It was delightful.

After the short interval for refreshments, the music continued with great aplomb; the parents and guests heard an array of exquisite piano pieces, from Granados to Chopin, from lower strings to woodwind. Some performed wonderful pieces using their own natural instrument: the voice.

As this was my first ever solo performance on Hampton’s stage, I was quite nervous beforehand; but, being around the other musicians really helped me keep calm: knowing we were all doing the same thing and all performing solos.

When it was my time to enter the stage, I walked on, with my violin and bow firmly in my hand. I looked out at the audience, proud, and ready. I took a deep breath and played my heart out. I performed one of my favourites by Mozart, Minuet in D Minor.

I had decided not to use my music, so I could feel free, and I was able to look out at my peers for reassurance. Thoughts were rushing through my head as I played; the spotlight was on me and I knew my mum was watching proudly and nervously in the audience. It was a privilege to be on The Hammond stage.

The audience clapped after I had performed my lively, uplifting piece. It went really well. Everyone had chosen their music carefully, and it showed with the way they all expressed themselves through their instruments. This is what made the concert such an entertaining and successful night.

One of the highlights for me was hearing one of the Hamptonian’s perform his own composition as he sang and accompanied himself on guitar. It was amazing – especially as he jollied the audience along!

Most of all, the audience were treated to a feast of the senses. Everyone showed off their super talents and the guests and teachers were really proud too.

I cannot wait to perform there again!

Rafferty O’Connor-Zumla

New Pupils’ Concert

The New Pupils’ Concert was a thrilling event – from upbeat and loud performances to calm and classy compositions.

It was a fantastic evening, and all the boys got to showcase their amazing talent – from the violin and piano to the harp and the marimba.

We were treated to wonderful performances from famous pop songs – everything from Believer, by Imagine Dragons, played by Akshaj Anand on guitar, Seven Nation Army, by The White Stripes, played by Ashveer Chohan on electric guitar, to beautiful, peaceful pieces that sang across the room, such as Ladies in Lavender, by Nigel Hess, played by Rafferty O’Conor Zumla on violin, and Song from a Secret Garden, by Lovland, played by Rayan Amiri on piano.

I played In a Spanish Garden, by Josephine Trott, on the violin – which is a lively, confident and bold piece for the first and last sections with a middle section that sings beautifully.

I felt slightly nervous at first, but the audience were so welcoming, and, in the end, I really enjoyed playing my piece.

Overall, I had a wonderful time at the New Pupil’s Concert; I thoroughly enjoyed listening to everybody’s performances, and I enjoyed sharing the love of music and all our talents together with teachers and friends backed up by the warm, welcoming audience.

Rahul Prabhudesai

Christmas Concerts

Hampton’s seasonal Christmas concerts were such a warm and jolly end to the term!

Highlights included the different choir teams singing their hearts out – such as Voices of Lions with I’ll Be Home For Christmas and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, the Chamber Choir with Now May We Singen, and Consort of Voices with O Magnum Mysterium

Of course, it is impossible to forget about the First Years’ performance of Twelve Days of Christmas and All I Want For Christmas Is You

We also had musicians playing in different ensembles and orchestras. The brass band starred Tommy Skeffington on the trumpet, playing My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose and Bohemian Rhapsody. The Senior Guitar Ensemble played Concerto in D major, and the Chamber Orchestra performed Troika from Lieutenant Kije.

Finally, the Symphony Orchestra took centre stage with three pieces: Slavonic Dance; Symphonie Espagnole, led by Harry Spence on the violin; and Academic Festival Overture

Thanks goes to our conductors Mr. Roland, Mr Ward, Miss Mattinson, Mr Hvartchilkov, Mr Thomson, and Miss Van Ments.

Overall, this was a very successful and enjoyable night for all of us - bringing out the festive spirit of all Hampton boys! Personal highlights included the First Year Choir adapting the famous pop song by Mariah Carey, and the audience rumbling into a cacophony of voices at the end of the concert for the symphony orchestra’s O Come, All Ye Faithful

Duncan Chan

Carol Service

A Christmas highlight for the Music department is always our annual Carol Service.

Masterminded this year by Mr Thomson and Miss Mattinson, 140 pupil performers and an excited congregation descended upon Great St Mary’s Church, where we were treated to a spectacular array of pieces. These ranged from stunning unaccompanied performances of Poston’s Jesus Christ, The Apple Tree from Chamber Choir and Vaughan Williams’ The First Noel from Voices of Lions, to School Choir’s rousing rendition of Handel’s ‘And the Glory of the Lord’ from the ever-popular Messiah, accompanied by organ and string quartet.

The usual congregational carols were sung with gusto, and brilliantly accompanied by a trio of talented organists: Dr Ainscough, Theo Tang, and Tomas Escobar (OH).

The music was paired with readings given by a cross-section of the Hampton School community, and the event closed with a blessing from Reverend Ben Lovell, to whom we are very grateful for supporting the event.

Many thanks to all those involved in producing what was an immensely memorable occasion.

JCF

Choral Society Concert

On the 15th of March, over 180 musicians and singers from the joint LEH and Hampton Choral Society gathered in the Hammond Theatre for a night of exceptional music, joined by a packed audience.

The concert was opened with Haydn’s exciting and dramatic Insanae et Vanae Curae, quickly followed by his iconic Nelson Mass: Missa in Angustiis – a real marathon for both the orchestra and choir, providing lots of variety and incredible singing.

The choir and orchestra were extremely privileged to have been able to accompany four incredible professional soloists, Kirsty McLean (Soprano), Stephanie Franklin (Alto), James Gilchrist (Tenor) and 2009 alumnus Michael Craddock OH (Bass).

After the interval, the Hammond audience was also treated to Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, an intricate and delicate piece that provided a lovely contrast from the music beforehand.

However, unsurprisingly, it was my piece that dominated my thinking: Scene de Ballet, composed by de Bériot – a virtuosic and playful piece that combines a bit of everything.

I had been preparing this piece for more than half a year in anticipation for the opportunity to perform alongside the orchestra – a significant honour that the school bestows on Upper Sixth members to showcase their abilities – so I was very much more ready than ever to step on stage, Yet nerves still always kick in.

Standing behind the double door entrance into the Hammond Theatre by myself, I had a moment to just contemplate, to really consider the fact that I was about to perform in front of everyone on stage and in the audience. Did that worry me? Not if I did not let it!

Thinking about how many people had supported me along the way, the many people that had put their belief and trust in me, drove my

Pro Corda

On the January 30th, Six Hampton School chamber groups – consisting of 22 pupils – were invited to partake in the annual Pro Corda competition, held at Epsom College this year.

Each chamber group had the opportunity to play fantastic music to the adjudicator – and I can say, with absolute certainty, that they did not disappoint!

confidence up. This was the culmination of my Hampton Music career, so I needed to really demonstrate why I deserved this opportunity to perform in such a meaningful concert.

Right before I went on, I was given a last minute motivational talk from Mr Roland – the absolutely legend teacher that he is – who managed to clear out most of my doubts and send me on stage brimming with energy.

Walking on was pretty nerve-racking, but at of the end of the day the audience are all here to see you play at your best; so, I kept as calm and steady as possible to ensure I could do just that. I did start off a bit shakily, but I stayed composed, and, as time went on, my performance kept improving. Thankfully, I was able to get through with no major hiccups, walking away with a satisfied audience.

Playing with an orchestra of such high calibre is something that many dream of doing, so I am extremely thankful that I was able to make this dream come true! For many of those reading, keep working hard and you will have the chance to do this as well.

Finally, the concert was finished by Lili Boulanger’s epic impressionist work, Vieille Priére Bouddhique, performed by James Gilchrist – an almost hypnotic piece, filled with luscious melodies. It was a perfect way to top off the night.

Declan Goh

The repertoire ranged from the antiquity of Beethoven, whose Quartet in B flat major was played very nicely by Mr Schofield’s quartet of Leo Ma, Nathaniel Carson, James Nunn, and Xavier Fricot, to the modernity of Bridge, whose Trios were elegantly produced, like a dance, by both Albert Khadzhiev, Colin Yeung, and Sion Kim of Mr Oyarzabal’s Trio and Yangtze Tjoe, Alex Nelson, and Gabriel Lau of Mr Chakravarty’s Trio.

There was also music by Shostakovich that was played with pinpoint accuracy and intensity by Ms van Ments’ quartet, consisting of Sixth Formers Declan Goh, Harry Spence, Gabriel Porter, and Jian Graffe, along with the playful and characterful performance of the trio in A minor by Reinecke, excellently performed by Rafferty O’Connor-Zumla, David Tam, and Louis Chun.

Last but not least, the Woodwind Quintet of Jeff Liu, Jonathan Morrison, Boris Duke, Sena Kelly, and Benedict Foley-Cook, led by Ms Estall, presented a wondrous edition of Rasmussen’s wind quintet, capping off a quite wondrous overall performance from Hampton School. Mr Oyazarbal’s Trio, Mrs Hutton’s Trio, and Ms Estall’s Wind Quintet all proceeded to the next round – and the talent of all of the School’s players was demonstrated yet again!

Leo Ma

Rock Concert

The evening of January 31st saw Hampton’s musical performers return to the Hammond stage for the biannual Rock Concert –a staple of the School’s musical and performing arts calendar.

The evening of January 31st saw Hampton’s musical performers return to the Hammond stage for the biannual Rock Concert – a staple of the School’s musical and performing arts calendar, and my favourite evening of the School year, with a wide range of ages from First Year to Upper Sixth all being represented on stage.

Not personally featuring until after the interval, I joined the rest of the performers in watching the concert as it was live-streamed to our drama studio.

Joint Hampton and LEH band Maman kicked-off the evening with a classy rendition of Grease by Frankie Valli. Fifth Year band The Sopranos raised the energy with a two-man performance of modern rock classic Out of the Black, whilst Revolver’s performance of Led Zepelin’s Rock and Roll featured a drum solo with only a single stick!

A personal highlight from the first half was Chicken Thieves’ rendition of Pour Some Sugar on Me, whilst both Junior Rock Bands impressed, covering hits from Foo Fighters to Black Sabbath, separated by an impressive performance by The Firm of Oasis classic Champagne Supernova

Following the interval, Bailey Hornsby-Clifton opened the second half with a mellow acoustic rendition of Chasing Cars – a favourite with the crowd.

Intermediate Rock Band brought both the funk with This Old World’s Too Funky for Me, and then the energy with rap-metal hit Bombtrack, which I was able to witness from the wings before my first performance of the night of Slipknot’s hit Before I Forget in Polyphony. This was followed by Sacred Band of Thebes’ performance of the mellow Evil Ways – credit to Avi Bhatt who stepped in behind the kit with minimal notice for one of his six songs on the night.

Lower Sixth bands Forgotten Sentiment and Cementheads upped the ante, with performances of Linkin Park and Nirvana tracks respectively.

The penultimate act of the night was Beatles smash hit Hey Jude, performed by Breeze, with the entire cohort joining them on stage for the iconic final chorus. Senior Rock Band ended the night with a three-track set, covering grunge, punk rock and classic metal from The Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, and Ozzy Osbourne respectively – five years on from our first performance together as Junior Rock Band.

Overall, the rock concert lived up to its usual and deserved hype, helped in no part by the superb energy and skill of all performers on the night, and the brilliant work of compères John and Kiran.

As always, enormous thanks goes to everyone involved behind the scenes: the Hammond Theatre team, Mr Eliot and Mr Thompson for their help with mixing, stage design, and lighting; Mr Pym and Mr Willmott, for their work with the night’s school-run bands; and the rest of the Music department for all their work behind the scenes.

Eddie Haycock

Bugsy Malone

The Bugsy Malone production injected a great deal of energy into the very tired last week before the half term break. It was the result of months of work from an amazing cast, crew, band, and staff.

I will always be pleased that I made the decision to audition to be involved in such a wonderful experience when I was just a few weeks into my time at Hampton.

We rehearsed twice weekly, and, as we learned to sing, dance, and master the New York accent, the musical was slowly but surely coming together.

Set in the 1920s, the production opened with the amazing voice of Devan Banerjee, who sang the introduction to our charismatic hero, Bugsy Malone, played by the gifted Charlie Donald. A burst of colour, movement, and sound saw our cast welcome us into Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, the liveliest joint in town.

The audience was taken on the journey of the romance between Bugsy Malone and Blousey Brown, performed by the incredible Meg Chaytow – all of the female roles were performed by girls from Waldegrave School – and the rivalry of Fat Sam and Dandy Dan.

Bugsy Malone is a lively, hilarious and at times poignant story which had audiences tapping their toes in their seats and humming the tunes for weeks.

Special mentions must go out to James Nunn, for his brave and brilliant performance of Fizzy, and Isabelle Blake, for her sassy and soulful performance of Tallulah – but this is an ensemble production, and everyone created the magic! Naturally, this includes the crew, who are the backbone of every production, and the band, who seem to telepathically know what is required of their magnificent musical talent.

From massive inside jokes to numerous new friendships, Bugsy Malone has taught me that ‘you CAN be anything that you want to be’, and that ‘if you give a little love, it all comes back to you’.

Edward Jolliffe

Chamber Concert

The Hammond Theatre ghosts were once again treated to yet another incredible evening of music on the 4th of March, as Hampton’s finest chamber musicians took to the stage for a concert filled with variety, energy, and some truly unforgettable performances. From the flowing woodwind melodies to the delicate interplay of strings to the rhythmic drive of jazz, the evening showcased the immense talent and dedication of 17 of the school’s chamber ensembles.

The concert began with a series of engaging performances, but one of the biggest crowd-pleasers of the first half was a stunning acoustic guitar duo performance of Bohemian Rhapsody. Their expressive playing and seamless coordination earned them a thunderous round of applause from the packed Hammond.

The second half of the evening featured an intense and striking performance of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No 3: Allegretto, a piece full of sharp contrasts and dramatic shifts. The ensemble tackled its erratic energy and intricate textures with great skill, keeping the audience captivated throughout.

To close the concert, the Fourth Year Jazz Group delivered a stylish and effortlessly cool performance of Sway by P B Ruiz, ensuring that no one left the theatre without at least a little swing in their step.

The evening was a true celebration of chamber music, and a testament to the dedication of both the performers and their teachers.

Many thanks to all the visiting music teachers for their expert coaching, and to Mr Chakravarty, Miss Van Ments, and Miss Estall especially for organising such a fantastic event.

With performances like these, Hampton’s chamber musicians continue to set the bar high, and the theatre ghosts look forward to the next concert!

Sena Kelly

JAZZ CAFE

On Friday 12th March, Hampton School’s Jazz Café was once again open for business!

The musical entertainment for the evening was divided into five sets, two from the Swing Band and two from the Jazz Band and one by a Saxophone ensemble. Junior Jazz also made their debut – to great acclaim!

In Swing Band, conducted by Mr Ferrier, some highlights across the two sets were the performances of Caravan, Strutting With Some Barbeque, Go Tell it on the Mountain – which was a funky rendition of the classic Christmas song – and Chattanooga Choo Choo, which is by far and away the most popular song in Swing Band, having been played in several different Jazz Cafes.

Every member of the Swing Band had the opportunity to play solos during the evening, and the audience acknowledged each solo with applause –which was a great feeling and a unique aspect of the Jazz Café.

Some great performances from the Jazz Band, conducted by Mr Horden included Down By The Riverside, which is most recognisable as the New Orleans funeral piece in the Bond film Live and Let Die, Sunny – with vocals beautifully sung by Hugo Knowles and an original composition by Harry Skeffington, that included an several solos and an incredible trombone solo finale that he performed and which amazed the audience with its impressive length and variety.

Also debuting in Jazz Café was Mr McQuaid’s Saxophone Ensemble which featured two brilliant pieces, Solace and Travelin’ All Alone. They were filled with amazing solos and showcased the range of saxophonists currently at Hampton.

Finally, a big shoutout to the Junior Jazz Ensemble who, under Mr Thomson’s guidance, performed a great rendition of the Peter Gunn theme with the Swing Band backing them up. All four members of the ensemble played wonderful solos with great confidence and hopefully we shall see the return of this breeding ground of young jazz musicians in the next concert.

Overall, the Jazz Café was a triumphant success with a fantastic set of performances across all the year groups.

Congratulations to all involved! A special thank you is due to all of the teachers named above, and thank you also to the caterers and tech staff that created such a wonderful atmosphere to accompany the music.

Rory McEwan

Spring Concert

As the spring term came to a close, what better way to celebrate an absolutely amazing term than with the annual Spring concert, which comprised of a multitude of Hampton School ensembles and groups demonstrating their talent and dedication for all to see – this time with the theme of the celebration of Women in Music – which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

The concert commenced with a touching rendition of The Cider House Rules by Rachel Portman, realised by the Brass Band, followed by a dramatic contrast in style with The Highland Games, by Jesselyn Joy Dudinsky, performed with vigour by the Sinfonia.

Then came the emotional Sicilienne, by Maria Theseria von Paradis, led via the expertise of Mr Ferrier conducting the Concert Orchestra, who immediately following this piece, directed what was an emphatic performance of Adele’s Skyfall, with the mastery of ROAR!

A sequence of internationally renowned pop songs composed by the likes of Taylor Swift and Katy Perry then proceeded, performed by ROAR! and the Hampton Percussion Ensemble respectively.

Theo Tang, winner of the composition competition, had his marvellous piece performed by the Consort of Voices; this was then followed by the soothingly beautiful realisation of The Call, by Gail Randall.

The Hampton School Chamber Orchestra then gave us a beautiful and lyrical interpretation of Heather Hill, by Constance Warren – one that touched the hearts of all that were present.

The first half was yet to finish, as a Hampton School String Quartet merged with the Voice of Lions, directed by none other than Mr Roland, executed a flawless and powerful performance of Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For?, followed by Jennifer Lucy Cook’s Time

The Swing Band, conducted by Mr Ferrier put some groove into the mood with a rendition of Struttin’ With Some Barbacue, by Lillian Hardin Armstrong, followed by the virtuosity of Caravan, by Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.

Last but not least, to cap off a fine first half, the Chamber Choir, conducted by Miss Mattinson, executed O Love, by Elaine Hagenberg, and Let all the World, by Greta Tomlins, with much feeling.

The second half did not disappoint; we had not one, not two, but three concertos, all carried out by Hampton School Pupils and Ensembles – the first of which was a melancholy but touching performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23, Second Movement, with soloist Adam Gaunt putting all of his expertise and soul into his playing, accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra.

The booming dominance of Aaron Corpaul’s trombone playing then proceeded, as he emphatically dispatched a wonderful performance of Launy Grøndahl’s Trombone Concerto – with the help of the Symphone Orchestra.

Lastly, Edmund Ng touched the soul of everyone in the concert hall with his production of Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto’s Second Movement, to end the run of three incredible Concertos.

Finally, the Symphony Orchestra played – with much joy and movement – Florence Price’s Juba Dance from her 1st Symphony, to energetically bring an end to what was a vibrant and magnificent Concert as a whole!

Leo Ma

JUNIOR Workshop Day

On Sunday 27th April, over 100 pupils from local primary and prep schools came together for the annual Junior Schools Music Workshop at Hampton School. It is organised and run by the Music department, and it is a very popular community event indeed!

A number of Hamptonians involved in the Music Department, including myself, helped out. It was especially nice for me, as I had been a part of this day prior to joining Hampton last year and the year before, so I knew what fun was in store.

The music for the day involved both orchestral playing and choral singing.

In the morning, we did sectional rehearsals where the musiciansfrom Grade 1 upwards – were given their music. The leader of the section helped the pupils to play some popular pieces and to help with the odd challenging section of the repertoire. I really enjoyed helping the violin section!

After a little while of hard work, we were all treated to a break where we were given refreshments, before heading back to our sectional rehearsals.

After a tasty lunch of sandwiches, crisps, and fruit – and a sweet treat! – we were allowed to play on the 3G. All of the pupils enjoyed it because it is a great space to let off steam. We were also really lucky that the sun was shining for us.

The first full orchestra rehearsal was after lunch in the Hammond theatre. For many children this was the first time that they had been on our wonderful Hammond stage – and also the first time playing in such a large orchestra. You could really tell how excited they were!

Some of the pieces we played together were from Harry Potter and The Lord of The Rings. The choir also sang Sherando; it sounded amazing!

At the end of the day, the parents were invited to watch their children play in a final concert, and everyone was so proud. It sounded wonderful, especially considering that the pupils were still only in primary school.

The adults watching looked so delighted and clapped loudly. Everyone had worked so hard all day to produce amazing music together. The parents and the participants all had huge smiles as they left the Hammond.

The teachers put in such a lot of work and preparation to make the day work, but it was really worth it; it was an incredible event, and one I am sure many will remember for years to come!

Rafferty O’Connor-Zumla

Summer Concert

This year’s annual summer concert on the 2nd of July was another resounding success, showcasing the amazing talent at Hampton.

As ever, the evening featured a mixture of Hampton’s talented choirs and instrumental groups take to the stage. The event started with Consort of Voices’ beautiful Mother of God, by John Taverner, before performances by ensembles such as Brass Band, Sinfonia, ROAR!, Concert Orchestra, and Swing Band.

A personal highlight was Percussion Ensemble, playing In the hall of the mountain king

Towards the end of the first half, the trebles and altos of Chamber Choir gave a joyful performance of Heavenly Aeroplane, while Voices of Lions sung ‘Bring him home’ from Les Misérables, and California Dreamin’

The Chamber Orchestra closed a wonderful first half with two folk songs, before an arrangement of the Wii Music, by James and Albert.

After everyone refreshed themselves over the interval in the Hammond Foyer, the audience were treated to two magnificent Upper Sixth solo performances. Firstly, Yangzi Tjoe played the stunning Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto. The virtuosity on show in solo sections was incredible. A tough act to follow, but Hugo Knowles did just that. With a euphoric performance of Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge over Troubled Water, arranged by Mr Ferrier especially, it was an incredible performance.

The Symphony Orchestra finished with a graceful Waltz by Tchaikovsky, which, as Mr Roland aptly said, would ‘dance everyone into the summer!’

The whole night was a fantastic way to end another year of incredible Hampton Music.

Rafferty O’Connor-Zumla

artthe year in

September

September started with the GCSE Art Show Open Event on Monday 16th September. Daniel Frith’s stunning circular linocut created a vibrant eye-catching poster for the event! It celebrated the work produced over the GCSE course and combined the welcome event for the new Lower Sixth.

October

October saw the commencement of Life Drawing for the Sixth Form, as well as a visit to Bushy Park allotments to take photographs and make sketches for the ‘Sense of Place’ theme.

Resulting large-scale charcoal drawings were displayed in the Art gallery alongside Third Year photographs and notes from Kew Gardens. The Lower Sixth also learned how to cast their hands using alginate, as part of a project inspired by the work of Anthony Gormley and Rachel Whiteread.

November

November was marked by the Third Year visits to Kew Gardens. Their resulting photographs and sketches were much admired when they went on display in the gallery.

January

In January, the Lower School Art Show took place with an Open Event on Wednesday 22nd January. There was a vast array of stunning First, Second, and Third Year work on show for visitors to enjoy!

December

In December, GCSE Portfolio Day gave Fifth Years to chance to complete coursework before the Christmas break. They worked on the theme ‘Connections’ whilst the gallery continued to display Third Year and Lower Sixth work.

March

March saw the opportunity for prospective pupils to explore different activities that gave them a taste of different ways of making art. Pupils enjoyed making zoetropes to explore movement through early cinematography and animation.

February

February saw the Sixth Form visit to St Paul’s Cathedral. Although the weather was overcast, we still had incredible views from the top of the dome and saw work by Bill Viola and Henry Moore within the cathedral itself.

April

April brought the GCSE Art Timed Test where ten hours were devoted to producing some of the GCSE Art pupils’ best work so far!

May

May was the time for the A Level Timed Test, with further ambitious and highly personal work produced at this level.

June

June started with two First Year Art Mornings. All First Years got involved to create ceramic poppies and mono-prints on war poetry to create a memorial to the Fallen.

The ceramic poppies were stamped with a number that corresponded to the number of the Fallen and each pupil who made a poppy was linked to that number. In November, completed poppies will be displayed in the Cloisters and the war poetry monoprints will be displayed at the same time. It should be a moving and meaningful display to mark 80 years since the end of WWII.

June

June also included the hugely successful GCSE and A Level Art Exhibition – staff, parents, and students alike had the opportunity to enjoy the superb works on display and to celebrate our artists’ efforts and talent.

July

In July, the year ended with displays for Third Year and Lower School Prizegiving events in the Hammond Theatre foyer.

The Anonymous Postcard exhibition also took place at the very end of term. Giving Days provided the opportunity for a whole array of events to raise funds for Fitzwygram Scholars. Postcards went on sale and buyers donated a chosen amount unaware of who had created the work – and we look forward to next year’s exhibition already!

KAW

1st Year Work

Arthur Hanna

Asa Lyons

Noah Kim Ashutosh Sahoo

Rory Hamilton

Yuchen Liu

Anon.

Ethan Chow

1st Year Work

2nd Year Work

Oliver Scrimshaw

Dushyant Parthiban

3rd Year Work

David Wu Neil Thakur

Ben Jago

Zidan Akhtar

A Level

All by Aberam Sukirtharajah

A Level

All by Aberam Sukirtharajah

GCSE Work

Aaron Mukerjee-Sharma

Alexander Pickles

Basil Graham

Cyril Bellamy

Daniel Tressider

Alistair Tait

Fraser Kerr

Emir Aljobouri

Gianluca Cohen

Gregory Matthew

Matthew Jenkins

Oscar Riddell

Omer Olcer

Rohan Ramachandran

Robert Bercea

Rohan Ramachandran

THE LION HAMPTON SCHOOL 2024-25

Ryan Crowther

Sebastian Woods

Trips

BORNEO

On Saturday 5 July 2025, nineteen Hampton and LEH Sixth Form students – along with five teachers – gathered in the early morning at Heathrow Airport, ready to embark upon the adventure society’s biennial trip to Borneo.

After seventeen hours in the air across two flights, we arrived the next day in Kota Kinabalu and spent two nights at the Lavender Lodge, affording us time to acclimatise to the heat and explore the area’s urban landscape.

We then set off for Tampat do Aman, a small eco-lodge near the town of Kudat. Here, we continued the adventure society tradition of taking part in community service for the local area. Under the leadership of Howard, the man who had founded Tampat do Aman, the group worked hard and was able to build both fencing and flood protection structures for the local church – it having had no prior foundations to build upon – while also mixing and laying the concrete to be used as a driveway for the nearby school.

Sleeping in longhouses in the midst of the Bornean jungle, we spent evenings at Tampat do Aman enjoying the stunning local beaches at sunset, with one of the nights dedicated to a jungle expedition where the group spent the night in hammocks, persevering through the rain – and several unexpected wildlife encounters!

On our final day at Tampat do Aman, we organised sporting challenges for the local schoolchildren – which culminated in a fiercely competitive football match between the English and Malaysian groups; these matches were preceded by passionate performances of both teams’ respective national anthems.

After a somewhat questionable refereeing performance from Mr John, the Malaysian schoolchildren came out on top – recording a 3-1 win – which the Hampton and LEH team were left wanting to forget.

This brought our time in Tampat do Aman to an end, and we left the following day on course for the base of Mount Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in Malaysia.

Gomantong bat cave

River cruise on the Kinabantangan River

After two days of hiking – during which we fought against high altitudes, sleep deprivation, and physical exhaustion – the entire group reached the summit 4095m above sea level and were treated to spectacular views on such a clear day just shortly after sunrise.

On the way down, half of the group opted to brave the world’s highest via ferrata and were able to experience incredible sights while hung on vertical cliff-edges.

The day following our return to Mount Kinabalu’s base, we arrived at the Sepilok Rainforest Resort, which would serve as a welcome return to a more comfortable way of living.

After months of fundraising and thousands of pounds donated, the schools were finally able to donate their proceeds to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. During our visit, we were able to see first-hand the importance of the organisation and its role in restoring the balance of the island’s ecosystem.

We then spent a night at the Greenview Lodge by the Kinabantangan River, where evening and night cruises on the water allowed us to encounter orangutans, crocodiles, and dozens of pygmy elephants in the wild – a moment considered to be one of the luckiest wildlife encounters that the adventure society had ever experienced while in Borneo!

After one more day in Sepilok – where we explored the Gomantong bat cave – we then departed via boat transfer to the Dolphin Bay Resort.

Spending three nights here, the group had several days devoted entirely to staying on a secluded beach and were treated to crystal-clear and warm waters. One of the mornings was dedicated to snorkelling in a nearby coral reef, where we experienced first-hand the rich biodiversity of the island’s coastal wildlife.

At this point, it was time to return to Kota Kinabalu, fittingly staying one final time at the Lavender Lodge, sharing a group meal in the evening to mark the end of the trip.

The trip was truly an unforgettable experience for all involved; many thanks are due to all the staff that volunteered to take part, our excellent tour guide, Henry, and the organisers of it all, Mr Crooke, and Mr John.

Harry Spence

Summit of Mount Kinabalu

WASHINGTON

Sixth Form Politics and History pupils enjoyed a fascinating trip to Washington DC – the heart of historical and political America – just days before voters headed to the polls in the 2024 US Presidential Election.

The trip offered an insight into contemporary American politics and its history.

Hamptonians kicked off their visit with a guided tour of the National Mall, home to many iconic monuments and museums. Stops included the towering Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, where pupils reflected on the leadership of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.

The group also toured the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which provided a powerful insight into the struggles and triumphs of Black Americans through history, from slavery to the Civil Rights movement.

The Sixth Formers also enjoyed visiting many iconic US government sites.

At the Supreme Court, they listened to a talk in the historic courtroom where landmark cases are heard. They also headed to the National Archives where they were able to view original documents central to American democracy, including the original Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

The visit to the US Capitol offered a unique chance to see some of America’s most celebrated government chambers up close.

The group also visited the Arlington National Cemetery, first established during the American Civil War and the largest cemetery in the USA. The site is where many famous historical figures are buried, including former president John F Kennedy and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, known for her work on gender equality and civil rights.

As well as seeing the major landmarks, the group watched an exciting NHL match between the Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers, enjoyed dinner at Barack Obama’s favourite DC diner, and even bumped into Ed Miliband MP, former Leader of the Labour Party and current Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero since the 2024 General Election.

The trip gave Hamptonians a profound appreciation of American history, governance, and culture, setting the stage for many future discussions on global political dynamics.

Mr Will Leafe, Head of Politics, was delighted with the success of the trip:

‘It has been incredibly rewarding to see how much Sixth Form Hamptonians have taken from this once-in-a-lifetime trip to Washington DC (at election time!), both in terms of the memories they have made with their friends as well as the academic inspiration for their Politics and History courses.

I would like to thank Mr Parrish, Miss Bellingan, Mr Baker, Mr Fuldner, and Miss Peck for their outstanding efforts –during their usual holiday time – to shape an unforgettable experience for our pupils. we are very proud that this much-loved Hampton trip has returned – for the first time since 2018 – smoothly and successfully.’

ICELAND

As we hurried off to our rooms – once we arrived in Reykjavik after a busy evening of travel – the whole group was excitedly anticipating the next days of exploration around Iceland.

Our hotel was a Viking-themed building that used old Scandinavian architecture. The following day, we did not have time to marvel at the Norse decorations, as we swiftly rushed off to explore the Reykjanes peninsula.

Our first stop was a beautiful view of some sea stacks after driving over a 1000 year old lava flow – geologically very recent!

This viewpoint was also in the same area of one of Iceland’s seven geothermal power plants, so only a short five minutes away were

hot springs that contained the same magma-heated-water that powered the county. Seeing the colours of the minerals and rocks that surrounded the basin was mesmerising, whilst the overwhelming stench of rotten eggs from the steam was impossible to ignore.

Continuing our journey, we hiked up a mountain to see more spewing hot springs and bubbling mud pots along the way. At the top, there was an extraordinary vista of a river, cascading down a neighbouring mountain in a canyon and then flattening into snaking meanders only a few hundred metres away.

I found it interesting to see that what we had learned so much about in the classroom right take place before our very eyes!

ICELAND

Next was the highlight of the day for many: the lava tunnels!

After a coach-ride through thick fog, the group donned helmets and headlamps as we delved into the cave. There were alien-looking stalagmites of ice all along the cave floor – something I never expected to see.

By the time we made it past the gaping skylights in the ceiling, the cave was only illuminated by natural light. Turning off our torches and being surrounded only by pitch black was certainly an unusual experience; it allowed us to appreciate how deep these tunnels went.

As our final stop, the group went to the geothermally heated swimming pool – a staple of any town in Iceland. Swimming in the warm water felt great in the cool Icelandic air – although the cold plunge was admittedly less nice!

We finished our day at a hotel far in the countryside, the small town isolated amongst sparse farms and mountain ranges in the distance. After a filling tea, we packed our bags for the next day and set out our warming clothes, getting ready for the glacier walk and the south coast.

The approach to the glacier – ice-pick in hand – was stunning.

The blue ice contrasted strikingly with the black basalt of the surrounding mountains. Stepping on to the glacier was easier than expected, our crampons firmly sticking to the glacier.

All of us enjoyed drinking the fresh, glacial water from streams on the ice and having a go at using our ice-axes on the glacier.

Our guide spoke to us about the recent history of the glacier and how it had retreated along the valley due to rising temperatures in Iceland. We looked at the effects of calving in the lake below and even ventured into one of the crevasses in the glacier – an incredible experience!

Once we had made the hike back to the coach, we made a stop at one of the most southernly towns in Iceland to restock on snacks and

visit a black sand beach. However, as it was so windy, we were only there for a few minutes; but, to feel the power of the North Atlantic and having fun in the wind definitely made it a great stop!

After this, we stopped at another beach to observe a sea cave made of basalt columns and to try to spot sneaker waves from the beach. Next, we began to make our way back in the direction of the hotel; on the way, we stopped at two enormous waterfalls. They were both the biggest I had ever seen, and we even got to walk behind one of them!

Once we arrived back at the hotel – and I had changed out of my soaked trousers and into swimming trunks – a group of us went to the local pool again, this time enjoying the slides and once again braving the cold plunge.

After a good night’s sleep, packing our suitcases and pulling on our waterproofs once again, we hauled our baggage onto the bus and headed out for another day of exciting geography.

Our first stop completed the trio of waterfalls: the Gulfoss waterfall, meaning Golden Falls. It once again stunned the group as every second 141 cubic metres of water plunged in two stages down into a crevice 100ft below!

After pulling our chins up off the floor, we marched back to the bus and began our journey to stop number two: the Geysers.

Walking along the footpath, we had pits of boiling water bubbling either side of us, a reminder of Iceland’s incredible store of geothermal energy which accounts for 66% of the whole country’s energy.

Not far up ahead was the main event – the Strokkur Geyser – which, after a few minutes of waiting, did not disappoint, spewing water roughly 20 metres into the air!

We continued our walk up to the top of the hill just behind the geysers to enjoy the view over the whole area and capture some amazing photos. After returning to the bus, we were all feeling hungry, so we were delighted to learn that, just a short bus journey away, an unlimited tomato soup buffet was waiting for us at the Friðheimar tomato farm.

With our bellies full of one, two, or even three portions of soup, we were ready for the next stop!

Upon arriving at the Þingvellir National Park, it was hard to comprehend that we were in fact stood in the middle of a rift valley, where tectonic plates were – very – slowly pulling apart either side of us!

As we walked along the pathway with the North American plate towering over us on our right, we stopped once to see another waterfall, and then again to see where Alþing: the site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th to 18th centuries.

This stop rounded off the day, and so we got back onto the coach and headed into Reykjavik, the country’s capital city. There, we ate at a nice restaurant and then headed to the hotel for some rest, ready for tomorrow’s city day.

Rested and rejuvenated, it was the final day.

After a lovely breakfast, we started the day off with a visit to the Perlan natural history museum. Here, we were able to watch a stunning overhead show in the northern lights planetarium that explained how the northern lights formed and showed us some incredible footage of them dancing in the sky.

Next, we explored the museum and all the exhibitions it had on offer, ranging from fiery facts about volcanic activity in Iceland, to the chilly man-made ice cave that we were able to walk through, making it feel as though we were deep inside a glacier.

With our brains full of more geography than we ever knew possible, it was time for Fly Over Iceland – a 5D experience with moving seats that made it feel as though we were soaring over some of Iceland’s most famous landmarks and stunning scenery.

After dizzily stumbling out of the experience, it was time for perhaps the most anticipated attraction of the day: the Lava Show.

We all took our seats, placed our goggles on – safety first! – and sat in awe as molten lava poured down a chute right in front of us! The staff member – the Lava Show staff, not Hampton unfortunately –talked us through everything there is to know about lava as we saw it cooling into volcanic glass just a few feet away from us until it has fully solidified.

We finished the day off with a pizza buffet and a Geography quiz – a fitting end to the brilliant trip!

A special mention to Mr Hill and the Geography department for putting the whole trip together and giving all of us an unforgettable experience. Thank you!

Alfie Keller & Bailey Hornsby-Clifton

TENERIFE

When we landed for the first time in Tenerife, an isolated island with a frankly unique ecosystem and some of the greatest views our planet has to offer, none of us really knew what to expect from this Geography trip. With many of us attending an adventure society trip for the very first time, we were starting on a blank canvas.

All we knew was that when we were greeted by 25 degrees weather and sharp blue skies – it was certainly an upgrade on rainy England!

TENERIFE

We began our visit with a day trip to Mount Teide National Park, which commanded the skyline of the island. Reaching a staggering 3,718 metres, it was not only the highest point in Spain but a once in a lifetime opportunity to ‘literally’ stand above the clouds.

The island’s low-hanging clouds allowed our group to puncture the veil hiding the summit of Teide and to stand above a vast expanse of ivory clouds.

After encircling the Caldera of Mount Teide, we paused at the foot of the final climb. However, our rising dread of a brutal climb to the top was cut short by a gratifying notion. To safely navigate the volcanic terrain and saving our legs from a nearly half-kilometre upwards hike in the sweltering heat, we enjoyed a cable cart ride to the peak – this also allowed us a vantage point to view the island’s dramatic lava fields.

The aforementioned low-hanging clouds offered an inimitable opportunity for a 24/7 observatory, one not limited by the mercy of nature’s hand. At the observatory, located at a peak altitude of 2,390 metres, we were able to learn about the institution’s research and contributions to our fundamental understanding of astronomy – and we even enjoyed the exciting opportunity to observe the sun through a specially developed solar telescope.

Day two was, without doubt, the day we were unanimously the most excited for! The trip, aimed to further our understanding with sights of unparalleled geography, offered an undeniable highlight: a journey to Siam Park.

One of the largest waterparks on Earth! Excitement levels were sky-high, as we were released into a series of the greatest waterslides this park had to offer. If I were to have to decide on a favourite ride, it would be an impossible choice; but, I would have to mention the wave-pool – it was the perfect way to cool off, as well as to experience the largest artificial waves in the world – and Singha, a relentlessly fast-paced ride.

On the third day, we first went to the Cuevo del Viento lava tunnels, the largest lava tube system in Europe, possessing more than 17 kilometres of underground passages.

We were 2.5m underground and this enabled us to see many geological phenomena, including lava stalactites, and lateral terraces. Our tour guide showed us around the cave – and even showed us a hole where soft rock collapsed and someone fell through – and explained how layers of lava built up after 2000 years of volcanic activity.

We then went to the Pyramids of Guimar, where we found out about the history of the island and how these pyramids were built so precisely that there would be a ‘double sunset’ between the mountains and the pyramids on the summer solstice.

We also watched a short video there on how ancient civilisations across the world, who were completely unrelated and lacked any communications, built similar structures – like the pyramids seen in Tenerife, Egypt, and Mexico.

In many respects, this served to demonstrate how humans are alike in thinking and certain manners.

The fourth and final day started with us unexpectedly going to the Puerto de la Cruz Botanical Garden, where we saw a wide variety of species of tropical and subtropical plants from across the world that have adapted to the subtropical climate of Tenerife. These plants ranged from small colourful flowers to huge trees, including the strangler fig, a tree that starts as an epiphyte, then growing to strangle another tree and survive of its resources.

Among these were plants native to the Canary Islands like the Dragon Tree. We also got to witness a small lake ecosystem including lots of lily pads.

The final thing we did before heading to the airport was go to the Fincas las Margaritas Banana Plantation; this was a large plantation growing mostly bananas, but also other fruits, namely papayas, mangoes and avocados.

After our brilliant tour guide showed us how bananas are grown and cultivated on the island, we got to try a huge range of delectable banana products – including dried banana, banana jam and a banana salsa.

They were absolutely delicious, leading me to buy some for home!

Overall, the trip was amazing, exploring the island of Tenerife, seeing a wide variety of things. As I am sure others would agree, the highlights included visiting the banana plantation, going up Mt Teide, and of course Siam Park.

A special thanks to Mr Highton and all the teachers who came for making it happen!

Alex Hodges & Shishir Vaddadi

ROME

Over the Easter weekend, 25 pupils from Hampton School took the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful and ancient cities in the world, Rome.

It was an incredible opportunity to experience one of the most important events in the Christian calendar at the heart of the Roman Catholic Church.

Over the course of a relatively short weekend, we were able to fit in visits to many attractions starting with the famous Roman catacombs, where numerous skeletons of all social backgrounds are buried. There was also an underground church where early Christians were able to worship in secret, away from prying eyes.

We also had the pleasure of entering the Vatican City, where we had a guided tour during which we were able to view monumental artworks such as Raphael’s ‘The School of Athens’ and Michelangelo’s ‘The Last Judgement’, as well as a Vincent van Gogh’s ‘Pieta’.

This tour included the Sistine Chapel, where the conclaves to decide a new Pope are held. In the evening, we had the opportunity to visit the Trevi Fountain. This vast structure was a beautiful and powerful image of Italian culture, and I was able to capture some incredible photos here.

Of course, it would not have been a proper trip to Rome without visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Colosseum was able to house around 50,000 spectators for a variety of public spectacles, including gladiator fights. It also has a complex but ingenious underground passage system which was used to hold gladiators and animals before their fights.

Afterwards, we spent hours wandering around the Roman Forum, which used to be at the centre of Roman domestic life with markets, temples, and courthouses all found here.

On the way back from the forum we also saw Palatine Hill, where the Circus Maximus once stood as the epicentre of Rome’s chariot races.

In the evening some boys took the opportunity to visit an Irish Church based in Rome to hear an English version of the Easter Vigil the night before Easter Sunday. It was a great experience, and one which I personally enjoyed immensely.

On Easter Sunday, the final day of our incredible trip, we travelled back to the Vatican. On our walk we saw another visitor to Rome that day – Vice President JD Vance, or rather we saw his limousine and cavalcade of security vehicles.

At the Vatican we stood in Saint Peter’s Square to hear the annual Urbi et Orbi, which Pope Francis was fortunately able to deliver. He came out onto the balcony to address the crowd of well-wishers who had pilgrimaged from all over the world to celebrate Easter. After the Urbi et Orbi, Pope Francis was driven around St Peter’s Square in the Pope Mobile, where I was lucky enough to get a video of him driving past to the cries of “Viva la Papa”.

The whole event was also made much more poignant by the subsequent death of His Holiness the following day.

Our final activity before heading back to the airport was much more informal: a game of football where the Fourth Years took on the Sixth Form and Fifth Years. The match ended in a draw at 2-2 after the ball was eventually lost by ricocheting off a Sixth Former and onto a nearby balcony.

Trip leader Miss Holt summarised the weekend as follows:

“Over the course of our Easter weekend in Rome, we walked in the footsteps of emperors and saints. From exploring the Colosseum and the Roman Forum to standing in St Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’ final public appearance, it’s safe to say that we witnessed history in more ways than one. Throughout the weekend, the boys were fantastic: their curiosity, respect, and enthusiasm made the trip truly special.I know that I certainly won’t forget it.”

A huge thank you to the Hampton staff involved – Miss Holt, Miss Parkes, Mr Willoughby and Miss Williams, and Mr Clark for the booklet – for making the trip so entertaining and I would encourage other Hamptonians to go on this trip in future.

Rory McEwan

Lübeck German Christmas Markets Trip

On the last Friday of the Autumn Term, Frau Willett-Pecnik, Frau May, and Herr Studt took a group of 15 Third Year Hamptonians to the North German town of Lübeck – also known as the Queen of the Hanseatic League – to soak up the unique atmosphere of its famous Christmas markets.

Every year during Advent, the picturesque old town – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is transformed into a winter wonderland of twinkling lights, festive music and the delicious scents of roasted almonds, mulled wine and gingerbread.

As well as browsing the market stalls and shopping for Christmas presents, the boys experienced local traditions first-hand and had the chance to improve their language skills. It was fantastic to see students – with just three months of German – confidently ordering their own lunch in the bustling market square!

Herr Studt led the boys on an extensive walking tour of his hometown, taking in the iconic seven spires, the winding streets of the Old Town island, the remnants of the medieval city walls, and the impressive harbour.

The group also visited the fascinating Hansemuseum, which brings the history of the Hanseatic League to life, and the Holstentor Museum, housed in Lübeck’s famous gatehouse.

No trip to Lübeck would be complete without tasting its world-famous marzipan! The boys also sampled Muzen, a traditional North German doughnut enjoyed during the festive season.

A final group dinner at a local German-Turkish restaurant provided the perfect ending to a memorable and enriching trip.

Throughout the trip, the boys were an absolute credit to the School. They threw themselves into every activity with curiosity and enthusiasm – whether walking long distances through the frosty streets, experimenting with new foods, or practising their German at every opportunity. Their energy, positivity and support for one another made the experience even more enjoyable for all involved. It was a pleasure to see them represent Hampton so brilliantly abroad.

PST

Nice

For the second year running, we took 10 Lower Sixth pupils for a language and culture trip to Nice.

After morning lessons, we were able to enjoy great weather while visiting several sites. Everyone enjoyed the trip and were great representatives of Hampton School.

After an early start and a short flight to Nice, we were introduced to our host families and spent the afternoon exploring the historic old town of Nice, where we browsed through the souvenir shops and tried a range of ice creams – including some more unusual flavours, such as lavender!

We then walked down the famous seafront, Promenade des Anglais, enjoying the beautiful Mediterranean weather, before heading back to our host families for the evening.

The next day, we went for our first lesson at the language school, where we would spend our mornings for the rest of the week. This was a unique and invaluable opportunity to improve our language skills as well as gain an insight into the local patrimoine – culture – history, and area.

After a morning there, we went up to Castle Hill, Colline du château, which had a spectacular view, overlooking the town as well the impressive waterfall. We then enjoyed a quick visit to a nearby chocolate factory – where we were able to sample a few of the chocolates ourselves.

The following days were spent with mornings in the language school before afternoon day trips to towns and sightseeing around Nice.

First, we visited the town of Menton, on the Italian border; here, we went to the botanical gardens and then explored the town.

The next day involved an especially memorable afternoon visit to the glamorous city state of Monaco, where we saw the iconic racetrack as well as the car museum, which housed a wide range of historic and famous cars.

Being in Monaco, we had to visit the extravagant Monte Carlo Casino! We were even able to enter the main lobby, before taking an evening train ride back to Nice to return to our host families.

On our penultimate day, we visited the town of Cannes, the site of the annual Cannes film festival. Here, we were able to take pictures on the famous stairs, as well as enjoy a miniature train ride down the streets and seafront.

We then enjoyed a few hours free time to explore the city ourselves and – once again – enjoy both the sunny Mediterranean weather and the extensive supply of ice cream available.

On our final day, we visited the Matisse Museum and saw a number of impressive art pieces, as well as attending our final lesson at the language school before an evening flight back to London.

All in all, the trip was a hugely enjoyable and memorable experience and a great opportunity for all of us to practise and improve our French – from talking to our host families in the evening to ordering food for lunch in the restaurants. Not only this, we were also fortunate to be able to explore such a beautiful region and to discover the local culture

Many thanks to Mrs Yoxon for organising and running this trip; we all thoroughly enjoyed it and are enormously grateful for all the time and effort put into it.

Oli Hudson

BERLIN

The History trip to Berlin was a fantastic experience! Over 3 days, we explored the rich history of the city, all the while sampling the local cuisine – consisting mainly of varying preparations of doner kebab – along with Currywurst, and my personal favourite, BBQ ribs.

The trip gave an incredible insight into much of the content we are covering in history, allowing us to see the real impact of the events that took place.

It is easy to learn about the division of East and West Berlin, but it was still shocking to see, from atop the Television Tower, the architectural split between the two halves. To the east, industrial looking, multi-storey, concrete-coloured apartment buildings stood in rows, while the west was a much less uniform – yet strangely more urban – looking sprawl.

Architecture was a common theme of the trip; our visit to Berlin Stadium was an impressive outing, and the use of the construction to express power and politically intimidate was explored thoroughly by our tour guide.

It was also interesting to see evidence of the instability that the city had experienced throughout its history. Much of the city had been rebuilt after the Second World War, mingling churches hundreds of years old with hasty concrete repairs.

As we cycled through Berlin on our bike tour, we also saw the few remnants of the Berlin wall, that had been all but destroyed after the city was reunited.

Overall, it was an incredibly interesting, and very enjoyable trip, and it preoccupied both those who had a particular interest in the history, and those who simply wanted a few days abroad to see Berlin.

Thank you to all of the teachers who gave up their time to make it happen!

Ben Govier

BARCELONA

The Spanish have their own word for getting up early: madrugar

I experienced this firsthand when my 3am alarm went off, marking the start of my trip to Barcelona.

After meeting at the airport, Rayan and I went to enjoy a 5am sushi. Bidding farewell to the gloomy British autumn, we took our flight and were greeted in Barcelona by palm trees, clear skies, and sun.

By midday, the city lay before us and there was a briefing at the language school. The next stop was La Boqueria, the most well-known market in the city. The atmosphere was bustling, full of people, colours and culture. There were rainbows of fruit stalls and spices. One could hear the clatter of knives and smell the salty cured ham.

Spoilt for choice of fruit, tapas, seafood bites and sweets, we settled on some lovely jamón ibérico.

The Metro then took us to our home stay and the family welcomed us into their home. Conversations in Spanish helped us get to know them and we compared life in London and Barcelona.

On Tuesday, we started with Spanish lessons on the subjunctive tense. After school, we took a tour of the city centre.

The highlights were the works of the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, which included the two houses Casa Batlló and Casa Milà. His works have a unique style and were influenced by his faith and neo-Gothicism.

Gaudí’s most impressive building was the Sagrada Família, the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Construction began in 1880 and cranes still towered over it when we visited. It is most certainly jaw-dropping; some people find it beautiful, and some are left struggling to understand what is happening on the different sides of the church. George Orwell – not a fan of religious grandeur –fell into the latter category, describing it as ‘’the ugliest building in the world’!

The three façades, representing the Nativity, the Passion – of Jesus – and Glory, often confuse people as they are contrasting in style and appearance. Orwell went on to criticise the sparing of the building during the Spanish Civil War, asserting that ‘the Anarchists showed bad taste in not blowing it up when they had the chance’.

By Wednesday, we still had not had enough of Gaudí! At Parc Güell stood an array of plants, mosaics and buildings that were inspired by naturalism and Catalan folklore. The park is both surreal and enchanting. There was also a stunning view of Barcelona.

We were then set Taskmaster-style challenges, ranging from filming documentaries to photo competitions. Free time was spent on hunting down churros and a sunset walk by the beach.

Thursday brought with it a fresh sense of energy, as the group returned to the language school for another round of engaging lessons. We spent the morning diving into Spanish grammar, introducing the subjunctive through interactive activities and discussions.

After lunch, we headed to the iconic Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona. Although the stadium itself was still under renovation, the museum more than made up for it! Walking through the halls lined with trophies, match-worn shirts and historic footage, students gained a real sense of the club’s legacy. From Messi’s record-breaking moments to the captivating story of La Masia academy, this exhibition provided something for every football fan.

The day concluded with time to explore more of the local area before heading back for the evening.

Friday marked the final day of language lessons, and the farewell to our Enforex professor, Joel, was bittersweet. After spending the week building our confidence and vocabulary, many of us felt a real sense of pride in how far we had come.

After a final lunch in the city, we made our way to Plaça Reial for an exciting treasure hunt. Armed with clue sheets, cameras, and a sense of adventure, we had a few hours to tick off as many photo challenges as possible. We snapped menus written only in Catalan, captured Barcelona’s iconic street performers mid-act, and had a blast doing it! There was no shortage of creativity.

To end the day, everyone regrouped near Barceloneta beach to relax and enjoy the views – a well-earned break after a busy week.

Saturday’s highly anticipated day trip to Sitges did not quite begin as planned, as the group was greeted by torrential rain upon arrival.

The rain showed no signs of stopping, so most people huddled under the awning of a local café, finding shelter and passing the time playing Block Blast. Some impressive high-scores emerged!

When the weather eased slightly, the group split up to make the most of the day. Some ventured onto the beach for a spirited game of football, while others explored the charming streets of Sitges, browsing shops and admiring the colourful architecture between rain showers.

Although the original schedule was cancelled, the unexpected turn of events resulted in a more relaxed and independent afternoon. Many found this to be just as memorable in its own way.

Sunday began with a slightly later start, as bags were brought to the school for one final day of activities.

The group visited Montjuïc, where we had time to unwind, reflect, and soak up the last of the city’s atmosphere.

After lunch, it was time to head to the airport. Exhausted but content, everyone boarded the plane, carrying suitcases full of memories and a week’s worth of stories to share.

Alex Nelson & Rayan Jessa

Hamburg

During the Easter holidays, ten Lower Sixth pupils from Hampton and LEH travelled to Hamburg for a week-long work and study trip.

Arriving promptly at Hamburg airport at midday, we were lucky enough to fit in some sightseeing on the first afternoon – including a scavenger hunt searching the city for famous monuments.

The first day began with developing our German speaking skills at a language school in the centre of the city – we would do this each morning. The language school gave us a chance to hear authentic German and to head out on small excursions to various parts of Hamburg in the mornings, led by the very popular Herr Volker!

After sitting by the lake and eating some Currywurst for lunch, we would all go our separate ways to our work placements for the afternoons.

In my case, this meant heading to the outskirts of the city via the B1 train and arriving at the Mercure Hotel. During the week, I would get involved in everything from singlehandedly manning the bar, delivering food during lunch, and welcoming guests upon arrival.

Other placements undertaken by Hamptonians involved serving ice cream – in the surprisingly hot weather! –working in cafes, and helping with charity work.

These placements would allow us to truly put our language skills to the test, whilst also giving us the opportunity to get a feel for what working in a German-speaking country involves.

In the evenings, we enjoyed trips to various attractions around Hamburg.

Our second night brought us to the St Pauli football stadium, famous for its multicultural and inclusive attitude. We were given exclusive and private access to the full stadium, which was an amazing and fascinating glimpse into football in the Bundesliga – especially for all the football fans on the trip!

On Thursday night, we travelled back to the St Pauli area to spend the night at the Dom, a huge funfair. Equipped with tips earnt during our placements, we enjoyed a night of delicious food and typical thrilling rides.

On behalf of all the pupils, I would like to thank Mrs May for organising and running such a brilliant trip, we all loved it!

Joe

Turton

PARIS EXCHANGE

In April, we returned from the away leg of another French exchange with Notre-Dame de Sion, in Paris. Our longest-standing trip in the French department was attended by a record number of 34 Hampton pupils, alongside 17 from LEH.

As always, Fourth-Year linguists were excellent in terms of their attitude, involvement and genuine desire to learn about French language and culture throughout the trip.

For the first weekend, Hampton pupils were reunited with their partners who had visited them in London a couple of weeks beforehand and were treated to a range of activities with their host families, from trips out to Versailles, Notre-Dame and the Louvre, to restaurants on the Eiffel Tower and stadium tours of Stade de France and Parc des Princes

For the rest of the week, they were accompanied by their dedicated staff on various guided tours around different areas of Paris from le Marais to Montmartre, an enjoyable day out in Disneyland, and long walks in the sunshine.

All 34 Hampton pupils enjoyed a very positive rapport with their partners and host families, even where boys were paired with girls;

once the French partners finished their school day, many socialised in groups in the neighbouring Jardin du Luxembourg, went bowling together, recreated France-England football matches with varying scorelines, with some even daring to try escargots.

The overwhelmingly positive interactions between pupils of the same age with similar interests can only occur from an exchange such as this one, and the benefits of this trip for our pupils have never been clearer. This exchange undoubtedly enabled our pupils to step out of their comfort zone, take positive risks, socialise and grow in all manner of ways, while becoming more confident and capable French speakers and experiencing the value first-hand, of communicating in a foreign language.

Plenty of our pupils will certainly keep in touch with their exchange partners for many years to come – I have no doubt that this trip will remain one of their fondest Hampton memories!

Vive l’Échange!

MB

KONSTANZ EXCHANGE

As the final day of the academic year 2024-25 approached, so too did the long-awaited day of departure for the Fourth Year German Exchange!

The largest number of participants from Hampton in several years, together with Mrs Willett-Pečnik, Mr Roland and Ms Allocco and participants from LEH, met at Heathrow and travelled to Zürich, before a coach transfer to Konstanz.

There were happy reunions as the pupils were met by their exchange partners and their families, who organised enjoyable activities in the local area for them over the weekend.

The group programme included a reception for the group at the beautiful, ancient town hall, celebrating the twinning relationship between Richmond and Konstanz of 65 years’ standing: boat trips on Lake Constance to the historic lakeside town of Meersburg and a tour of the exhibition on the prehistoric pile dwellings in Unteruhldingen; a day in Stuttgart, the capital of

the state of Baden-Württemberg, which included a visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum; and a high ropes course in the forest of Mainau, a great experience shared with German partners.

Enjoying lots of downtime during the week gave pupils ample opportunity to practise their German and experience daily life in Germany with their partners and host families, whilst making the most of the stunning surroundings.

We were so impressed with the fantastic attitude and engagement of all the pupils who took part – and it was particularly wonderful to hear that the experience has inspired several members of the group to explore opportunities to live and work in Germany in the future.

Ganz super!

KEW

CUCKMERE RIVER

Recently, in June, the whole Year went on a school Geography trip to the Severn Sisters Country Park to see the River Cuckmere.

Mr Townshend guided my Form for the trip. The sun was blazing, and the UV rays were so strong that we had to use lots of sunscreen, wear hats the entire time, and try keep as cool as we could.

I kept borrowing my friend’s ice pack and fan just to cope with the heat!

Mr Townshend discussed with us the possible investigations we could look at during this trip. Using our knowledge, we considered measuring the velocity of the river, depth, width, discharge, and the rate of erosion.

However, most of our data collection was carried out by observation!

As we followed the River Cuckmere’s lower course, we saw meanders. We expected to find features such as high velocity, wide floodplains, lateral erosion, deep channels, and high sinuosity – the degree to which the river bends –along with oxbow lakes.

However, to our surprise, the River Cuckmere was quite different from a typical river. It had been channelised, straightened by humans to save space for growing crops, building houses, and merchants and reduce flood risk.

It was fascinating to see how human activity can change a river’s natural shape.

Throughout the trip, we learned about important features like meanders, levees, and floodplains, discussing how they were formed.

By the time we finally got back onto the coaches, I was completely exhausted from the heat, walking, and all the learning! But overall, it was an amazing experience that helped me understand river processes and human impact on the environment much better.

Liangxu Zhong

SLAPTON

Bags in hand, Hampton’s Lower Sixth geographers were waiting excitedly for the train to arrive at Paddington station. A few hours journey took us down to the quirky town of Totness.

Identifying land use in this bustling town allowed us to identify Totness’ remarkable maintenance of community spirit and local feel.

Soon after, we headed down to our home for the next few days. The idyllic village of Slapton was where we would undertake most of our fieldwork.

Once we arrived we had a lovely walk followed by a tasty dinner and preparation for the next day’s trip to the River Lemon.

The next day, we were up early in the morning for breakfast – a full English, which filled us up for the morning – as we got on a bus with all our equipment and headed off to the first site at the source of the River Lemon. However, first we would climb up Hay Tor to see its famous granite formation at the top and discover how it evolved from igneous rock beneath the earth’s surface.

Then we headed downstream to collect more data, the reason for our research was to investigate the following question: does the River Lemon fit the Bradshaw Model?

The weather was sunny and a bit windy, but spirits were high as there was, surprisingly, no sign of rain.

After this, we stopped for a quick lunch break before heading down to two more sites and taking more readings. Then we stopped in Newton Abbot and, after bothering the local Sunday League football match, we observed our last site before it was time for Mr Hill’s famous Welly Wanging competition.

Each geographer would take it in turns to try and launch their welly as far as possible off their foot, with Karun Bhalla ending as the winner.

After this, it was back on the bus and back to Slapton, where we sat down to analyse our data.

After this, it was time for the Slapton Quiz, which saw five teams of geographers have their geographical knowledge put to the test. After this, we got to relax, playing football and table tennis before getting an early night’s to prepare us for the human geography investigation on Sunday.

We woke up and got ready for our final day of fieldwork. This day, we would be exploring the villages of Chillington and Slapton to have a look at whether rural settlements were in decline or not.

At Chillington, we walked around and observed the services and what their uses were, whilst at Slapton we were given a historical map and were investigating the vast number of services that have closed over the last century. This investigation was paused, of course, by a very windy lunch on the Slapton Sand Bar.

After finishing at both locations, it was already the afternoon and time to head back to the centre. After some more analysis, as well as our final delicious dinner, it was time for the highly anticipated Slapton Olympics, which saw teams take on various challenges including limbo, tennis ball keep-ups, and a very tiring press-up competition – in which Robbie Ker came out on top.

This felt like the perfect end to our trip, as the next day, after an earlier morning than usual, we boarded our train from Totnes and headed back to Paddington whilst thanking all the teachers on the trip for an enjoyable and informative weekend.

Evan Rutter & Henry Clark

The bitingly cold air of the London Docklands in Canary Wharf set an ominous tone for the Fifth Year geographers’ urban fieldwork trip.

Rather fittingly, due to a breakdown in the Underground, the transport routes to the meeting place at North Greenwich station were disrupted – giving ample time for smart Fifth Years to take a trip to a nearby cafe and purchase hot drinks of their choice, with hot chocolate sales appearing to be a majority winner!

Using backup phone numbers stored in case of emergencies, the teachers and pupils were able to communicate and find an alternative meeting point. However, they would end up missing a key highlight from the trip – the cable car over the Thames!

The cable car gave the geographers stunning city views, with many opting to take a quick photo, such as one present below. The scenes were not without geography, however, as the Fifth Year were able to quickly identify the different land uses and what characterized them, before finding some shocking facts regarding the cable car. It was created to form a sustainable part of the commute many take to work in the Docklands, crossing the River Thames to allow quick access.

Yet, apart from acting as a point of interest for tourists, the £6 price tag for a one-way trip proved to be far too expensive for many commuters, and so its promise remains unfulfilled.

After the Fifth Years then met up with their fellow comrades, an immediate research mission began.

With little time on the clock, quick action needed to be taken, and so it was.

Environmental surveys were initially conducted, rating aspects of three different places along a transect based on six different features. Furthermore, the geographers then took photographs and annotated them, comparing them to photos from 50 years ago in the past in the same positions. This was crucial in unveiling the cause and extent of the development of the Docklands, along with the questionnaires the geographers utilized.

These methods revealed that the London Docklands Development Corporation was the main reason for the development of the Docklands, for example by establishing the transport routes provided by the DLR.

These actions were mainly due to the rise of containerisation, causing ships to no longer fit into the docks, resulting in rapid deindustrialization.

This information was vital to the Fifth Year geographers’ understanding, as it directly related to the enquiry question of the fieldwork: To what extent has the London Docklands changed over time?

Overall, the trip to the Docklands was essential for the Geographers, both in terms of helping their performance in the exam, and carving new memories into being, which are, no doubt, to be cherished for years to come.

Arie Biju & Sam Mitcham

DOCKLANDS

SEAFORD

Having collected our packed lunches from the dining hall, we rushed off to the coaches to set off at 9:00am. A short coach journey ensued, where a 90-minute coach ride felt like a breeze.

And, alas, spotting more and more seagulls, we had arrived in Seaford.

It was a sunny day, and as we disembarked from our selective coaches; the heat hit us like a truck. Luckily, we had all remembered to bring our water bottles – as per strict instruction – and made sure to stay hydrated.

We were split into our Geography classes, and took our first look at the ocean. The sun rays beamed off the lapping currents, leaving us mesmerised by the beauty of the coastline.

As per fieldwork, we had three main tasks.

My group started off by creating a field sketch, behind the terminal groyne. We were wowed by key geographical features, such as caves and stumps, and even saw a hard engineering strategy live in the flesh – rock armour, placed against the chalk cliff. Next up, we measured the height of the groyne on either side, making use of equipment such as meter rulers and tape measures. We noted that on the west side, the groyne was higher – i.e. less sediment.

This was one of the measurements we used to prove our hypothesis of longshore drift being an active process in Seaford.

Up next, we walked down the beach – for what felt like 10 miles – to reach an area on the west side of the beach. Considering our hypothesis, we expected the cross sectional area of the beach to be smaller than on the east side, next to the terminal groyne.

However, we soon learnt a lesson when our results revealed that this was not the case, and that there was in fact a larger cross sectional area further away from the groyne – challenging and undermining our hypothesis!

Pushing our frustration aside, we put our brains together and concluded that our results were muddled due to the tide being higher when we did our measurements on the east side. It was an important lesson to learn in our Geography career: that our results may not always reflect our hypothesis.

With a rush at the end to complete our assignments, we regrettably boarded the coach again to return to school.

The day had flown past, and we arrived home tired after a long day out – thanks to all of the teachers for making it such a memorable and enjoyable day!

Josh Millington-Jones

South Downs

Back in October 2024, our Year Group went on a Geography trip to the South Downs – and it turned out to be one of the most exciting days of the year!

Even though the weather forecast looked miserable, we were lucky to avoid the rain and enjoy a proper outdoor adventure.

We started with a steep and muddy climb up a bridleway. Quite a few of us slipped, but it was quite fun. It was tough going up, but once we reached the top of the first hill, we were rewarded with an incredible view stretching across the countryside. Along the way, we learned how to use OS map symbols, and there were merits for anyone who could answer geography questions – which made it even more fun!

The South Downs is a range of chalk hills stretching from Winchester to Eastbourne, near Brighton. We walked along a huge escarpment for about 7km, which was tiring, but worth it. One of the highlights was Devil’s Dyke – a deep valley with a legend that a devil tried to dig up the land,

but the villagers tricked him with a fake sunrise. The view there was amazing, and the story made it even more memorable.

We also passed a WWII fort, a triangulation pillar, which marked the highest point of the hill, and learned all about chalk – a type of rock which is highly permeable, as the water travels along joints deeper in the ground. But, when the water reaches a layer of clay, which is impermeable, it is forced out of the hillside, forming natural springs.

While we walked, we mostly saw rolling hills, tall grass, nettles, and a vast number of wild plants. By the end of the day, we were muddy, tired, and a bit hungry; however, the things we saw made the long walk worth it!

I learned a lot about geography, spent time with my friends, and got to explore one of the most beautiful places in the UK. If you ever get the chance to visit the South Downs, go for it – just wear good boots!

Yakub Azimov

Adventure SOCIETY

Adventures beyond the classroom: School Trips That Tested Limits and Built Memories

Few things compare to the thrill of stepping outside the classroom and into the wild. For many pupils, School trips are more than just a break from routine – they are a chance to challenge themselves, discover new skills, and create memories that last a lifetime.

This year’s programme of outdoor adventures – which included mountain climbing, biking trails, and even underground exploration – proved to be nothing short of unforgettable!

From the first climb to the final descent, the mountain adventures demanded both courage and determination. Pupils pushed through steep slopes and rocky paths, learning not only the art of climbing but also the value of teamwork. Every summit reached was greeted with a rush of pride and breathtaking views that made every aching muscle worthwhile.

The mountain biking trails brought a different kind of exhilaration. Speeding downhill, weaving through forests, and tackling rugged terrain gave everyone a surge of adrenaline. It was more than just a test of balance and stamina; it was pure fun, with laughter echoing across the trails as friends encouraged each other to keep going.

Out on the water, the adventures continued. Sailing taught patience and teamwork, as groups worked together to steer and catch the wind. Paddle boarding brought its own fun and challenges; balancing on the boards was trickier than it looked – and many splashes and wobbles quickly turned into fits of laughter!

The muddiest activity of all was on the First Year trip to Dorset. Crawling under nets, clambering over obstacles, and splashing through muddy trenches brought endless energy and laughter. By the end, everyone was coated in mud but beaming with pride at what they had managed to conquer.

For the Third Year pupils that ventured to Snowdonia the most unique part of the trips was the underground experience. Venturing into dark, winding passages required trust and composure. Equipped with helmets and headlamps, pupils discovered hidden caverns and learned about the fascinating world beneath the surface. The sense of mystery and discovery made every step an adventure in itself!

What made these trips truly special was not just the physical challenges, but the bonds they created. Pupils encouraged each other when the climb grew steep, cheered for friends who conquered tough biking routes, and shared awe in the quiet stillness of underground chambers.

By the end of the journeys, tired legs and muddy boots were badges of honour. Everyone returned with stories to tell, a stronger sense of resilience, and the joy of knowing they had faced challenges head-on.

These adventures remind us all that learning does not only happen in classrooms; it also thrives in the moments when we push beyond our limits and embrace the thrill of the unknown. STJ

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) continues to be one of the most popular and rewarding programmes for young people across the country.

Its blend of outdoor adventure, personal development, and teamwork has also made it a firm favourite among Hampton pupils – with over a 160 pupils signing up to take part this year!

One of the highlights of the programme is undoubtedly the expedition section of the programme.

Expeditions have seen pupils set off into the countryside equipped with rucksacks, maps, and a sense of determination along the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, in the New Forest as well as in the Lake District and in Eryi National Park – Snowdonia.

Having completed the necessary training requirements, pupils are ready to face the challenges of hiking, navigating, and camping in the wild. For many, it was their first time cooking on a portable stove, pitching a tent in unpredictable weather, or working together as a team over long distances.

Despite the inevitable blisters and heavy backpacks, pupils overwhelmingly described the experience as unforgettable.

Pupils spoke about the laughter shared along the trails; the sense of independence gained from having to navigate from campsite to campsite and the friendships that grew stronger with each kilometre walked. Many highlighted the pride they felt when reaching their checkpoints and setting up camp after a long day of trekking.

The popularity of the DofE programme at Hampton is a testament to the meaningful experiences it provides. Whether pupils continue on to the gold levels or simply carry forward the memories of their silver, the sense of achievement will stay with them for years to come.

STJ

Sports

Football

First XI Football

The season started off with the annual pre-season trip to Loughborough, where the team picked up wins against Burton Albion foundation and a Nottingham University side. This was soon followed by the boys picking up their first bit of silverware at the ISFA sixes when, despite a disappointing group stage, we emerged victorious in the plate competition.

The autumn term saw successful starts to our ESFA and ISFA cup journeys.

In ESFA, comfortable home wins either side of a tough fought victory away at Wilson’s saw us into round 4, and a necessary win against Ibstock saw us into the same round of the ISFA competition.

Wins at home against Aschombe and Glyn schools secured an ESFA quarter-final, and an imposing 7-0 win versus Sevenoaks also came in the ISFA round of 16. This meant we went into the Christmas break with two massive national quarter-finals to look forward to.

The first was in ISFA against Harrow on the 3G.

The game ebbed and flowed. We went behind briefly in the first half before a long throw from Freddie Thwaites was flicked on by Sam Bond and bundled in by James Queen at the back post. Thwaites then scored possibly the goal of the season in extra-time, driving with the ball from right-back before blasting it into the top corner.

Whilst a last-minute equaliser for Harrow took the game to penalties, we were able to come out on top thanks to two penalty saves from Sam Ellis and four excellent penalties.

Next came our ESFA quarter on the road at Maidstone. In front of a couple hundred home supporters – and a raucous atmosphere – we quickly silenced the crowd, going 2-0 up early in the first half, with goals from Sam Bond and Tom Tabor, who once again showed his value on set-pieces following an important header in the previous round away at Dulwich.

The rest of the game was not plain sailing, but we managed to fight off a comeback from the opposition to come out on top 3-2 – despite losing two of our centre backs to a clash of heads.

Unfortunately, it was not to be in either semi-final, and a national final eluded us. Despite leading eventual ESFA champions Millfield 2-1, two late goals sent us out.

The Hudl league campaign brought success.

A third-place finish is very strong in school football’s premier competitions, and thus also included victories away at Bradfield and Millfield – both National Champions.

Furthermore, the boys demonstrated their unwavering respect for the game and officials and commitment to playing the beautiful game in the correct manner when they picked up the much-coveted fair play award.

The Upper Sixth were also able to go out on a high when they retained the Surrey cup, with the help of goals from stalwarts Michael Azoo, James Queen, and an extra-time penalty from captain Ben Moffatt, to comeback from 2-0 and overcome Epsom College for the second year running.

This was a hugely satisfying ending for all of the Upper Sixth leavers playing in the match; joint captains Ed Knott and Ben Moffatt, Joe Downeham, Rudy Mills, Sam Ellis, James Queen, Sam Bond, Michael Azoo and Tom Tabor.

Credit must also go to Theo Lloyd and Olly Spray, both of whom played important roles when required – including the ESFA quarter-final and Surrey semi-final respectively.

Overall, it was an incredible and memorable season; thank you to the players and coaches for all their hard work, including, but not limited to, Mr Burke and Mr Hurst.

Matt Moffatt & Ed Knott

Second XI Football

In true ‘twogether’ spirit, and, given the way this team blurred the lines between football and poetry, what follows is a poetry-and-prose collaborative piece between Upper Sixth defender Archie Hurst and manager, Mr Leafe.

Where does the extraordinary story of the Second XI’s season begin? Is it away at Glyn? Or perhaps, at City of London in the Elgin?

A season of unprecedented success saw Hampton’s Second XI win three out of three competitions available to them: the London Independent Schools Cup; the Elgin League; and the Crown Jewel of schoolboy football, the ESFA Cup.

How did this team blossom into the attacking powerhouse that saw them secure an historic ‘treble’?

Hampton kicked off their Elgin league campaign with a strong 5-1 win against Ibstock Place School. Two consecutive - albeit unfortunate – losses to Gordon’s School and Bradfield College gave the team a friendly reminder not to succumb to complacency.

City of London School away in the Elgin League saw a nice leap in progress as the team confidently saw off the opposition in a 4-0 win.

A blistering 10-1 win over Reading School saw Hampton progress into round three of their ESFA campaign, and two further wins against Latymer School and Highgate School in the League put the side in a strong position to reach the play-offs round.

For all his research and dossiers, we must thank the real ‘gaffer’, Robin Neil Harry had Hampton making sweet music and contributed a great deal;

Charlie scored a stunner against Mill Hill, and we think about it still!

Omer gave it everything and stayed with us always; Rudy played with flair and skill on all the days.

ESFA round three brought The Windsor Boy’s School, resulting in another staggering 12-0 win for the Second XI. This, however, unveiled a new challenge. The previous year saw the Second XI fall short of ESFA glory, as they were beaten by Millfield in the semi-final.

An identical draw in the fourth round would be a true test of the side’s credentials. The tactics were laid out before the game; the team knew the plan.

Something special was grown as we walked through that Orchard; Louis ‘aerial prowess’ Basing and I saw two paths out and chose the one that said, ‘we could!’ He’s been a leader, And always pops up with a decisive header.

Half-time: 0-0. But, Hampton’s early pressure would begin to tell.

Free kick given. The ball was swung in from centre-back Louis Basing, a flick on from Ben Wallace falling to vice-captain Gabriel Fouché, who squared the ball across the box, hoping for someone to tap it in… and it was Alex Ashton, who, in a rather unbothered manner, calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net.

Nothing could then stop Hampton, who, after two more goals, from Louis Basing and Gabriel Fouché respectively, saw out the game to progress into the quarter-final of their ESFA campaign.

I think our story began on the bus home from Millfield away, After Mr Ritchie convinced us a high press we could play –And we had a ‘zinho’ in midfield by the name of Jay; As the sun set in Somerset, we realised what we were capable of…

As quoted by Mr Knibbs in assembly, ‘with blistering pace and attacking flair football – such has become the style of Mr Leafe’s side’, the Second XI saw off the Regis School in the ESFA quarter-final with a 3-0 win: all three goals within the first 20 minutes.

A London Cup quarter-final against Dulwich brought out the best of the team, as they progressed with an 8-0 win to the semi-finals.

A familiar face greeted Hampton in the semi-final of the Elgin League in the form of Whitgift – a strong opponent that the team had drawn 3-3 to earlier in the season.

Who else but Louis Basing to break the deadlock as he scored both his and Mr Leafe’s favourite type of goal: a commanding header from a set -piece. This saw Hampton progress with a 3-2 win to their first final of the season.

A fitting reunion with Brentwood School in the final awaited as Hampton sought to avenge their 2-1 defeat in the league.

Then, it was time.

Hampton hosted Bede’s School in the ESFA semi-final. The sun was shining as that infamous roar erupted from the huddle.

A slower start than usual saw the game even for the first 20 minutes… and then Gabriel Fouché, with a lovely little move to beat the defender, drilled the ball past the keeper to scorch the back of the net.

Gab: a role-model vice-captain who has just always ‘got it’; He’ll shift and shoot in the biggest games of all!

Five minutes later, it was Olly Spray who furthered Hampton’s lead, connecting nicely with a looping ball into the box from Sam Moylan-Jones, and Hampton went into the break with a 2-0 lead.

The team were reminded of the need to concentrate, as Bede’s struck the bar from close range thanks to a wonderful fingertip save from Theo Lloyd

And if we’re talking clean sheets in finals, it’s Three-O Lloyd: you should have seen him leap like a cat on the Veo. His maturity and leadership have steered us through it all without a blip…

It was, however, meant to be for the Second XI, and a final goal from Oliver Lacey secured their place in the ESFA Final at Stoke, as the celebrations – as well as preparations – slowly kicked into gear.

We’re blessed with a band of Jolly Ollies:

Davies ‘the Magic Spirit’ – celebrating tackles, throw-ins, my substitutions – ‘YESSSSSS’ – we might need you back to help a new team get the fire burning, you’ve never stopped learning: and that is the highest compliment you can be paid.

Lacey ‘the Golden Boot’ – a frontman in both senses of the word; he’s chipped the keeper twice…22 goals and contributions countless, I knew you’d be a star this year: it was an easy guess.

You could not write the Second XI’s season. But somehow, Mr Leafe and Mr (Andy) Ritchie did.

The Elgin Final saw the Second XI travel to Whyteleafe Stadium, under the postcode AR. You couldn’t write it!

The sun beat relentlessly down as Hampton tackled familiar opponents, and it seemed to be written – was it? – as Hampton beat Brentwood 5-0 to lift their first trophy of the season: the Elgin League Cup!

One down…two to go.

Joshi Rasi de Mel cast over their defence a spell: he’s going to go far, you can just tell.

Danny Mills bringing the skills, three medals, and an ESFA Winner in Lower Sixth, and he’s done it all with humility and maturity.

Wham-bam-thank-you Sam: a technically gifted player who has so much more than lightning quick pace, and I cannot wait to see your season next year…

Freddie has been ready to give everything; you have earned every second of your success: two medals in fifteen minutes defied the ‘guillotine of time’.

And, if we’re talking about Hampton’s happiest footballer, first goes to Archie Hurst: an elite athlete with bags of character.

Three goals, 80 minutes, and many bottles of water later, the team lifted their second trophy of the season: The London Independent Schools Cup!

Two down…one more to go.

And then there was one.

And to Spray, Savan, Gab and Joe: we started the journey from the very first stop, and it was for you this year we wanted to get to the very top.

A day out to Stoke is what every member of the team was dreaming of over the course of that year, and what a day out it was.

Leaves from far and wide blew into windy Staffordshire to cheer on this special group I haven’t stopped watching these highlights on a loop; And, can they do it on a Tuesday afternoon in Stoke?

The team departed early that morning with fire in their bellies and arrow-sharp determination in their minds. Stops at St George’s Park to refuel and re-inspire saw the team pumped up to the gallons as they arrived to warm up before kick-off.

And that roar from the huddle could be heard back in TW12…

As was so typical of the team throughout the season, it was a blistering start to the game, and six minutes in saw Ben Wallace pick the ball up on that right-hand side, and float a beautiful cross into the box, meeting the head of Olly Spray as he guided it past the Northampton keeper and into the net.

Hampton. Went. Wild!

Because there ain’t nobody like Ben Wallace, And that ESFA Final performance was flawless

As the Hampton fans sang, ‘Ain’t nobody, like Ben Wallace…’, who else but the Hampton right-back swung yet another cross into the Northampton penalty area? A scramble saw the ball fall to Savan Soni – and the Northampton net bulged for a second time that day.

‘Swept in majestically’ by Savan Soni, whose idol is himself or Louis Basing.

Mr Ritchie’s on fire we did sing!

The ‘brilliant’ Soni’s ‘trusty right boot’ covered every blade in Stoke…

He went to another level and wrote his own story ending: it’s no joke.

Alex Ashton, rightly named player of the match, picked up the ball on the left-hand side and drove at the Northampton defence. They could not handle him as he swept past one, two defenders, shot…and saved by the keeper, right into the path of Olly Spray – and the Northampton net rippled for the third time that day in just 22 minutes.

It was then relentless from the Second XI, as a corner swung in from Sam Moylan-Jones was met sweetly with a first time volley from Captain Joe Murray; as fate would have it, it was an almost identical goal as his first of the season against Glyn. He swung away in celebration to greet the fans – who had also been unrelenting in their support for the team, in true Hampton fashion.

And, finally, ‘Murray the Marksman’, ‘crisply, sweetly on the volley like a seasoned striker’.

It was ‘Mint from Murray’, fantastic from Father Goose… Our proud skipper is the Captain we all wish we could have played for…

Could he have given any more?

It was then Moylan-Jones again who drilled the ball into the box, a scramble seeing it fall to the feet of Alex Ashton, who calmy slotted it into the net for 5-0.

Whilst Mr Ritchie might support Cov, there’s one man who’s always stayed “Bov”.

‘Not much of a celebration, he’s taken it all in his stride…a dynamic, exceptional midfield performance’; Alex Ashton, surely the first and last player I will manage who also supports the Tigers.

He’s still waiting for his wages, his coolness and composure all over the front pages.

The Second XI were ESFA CHAMPIONS.

It was a season of – mainly! – ups: it was the season of the high press; it was the season of the goose flock; it was a season of unrelenting team spirit; and it was the season of ‘I love the way they cheer the tackles and blocks as much as the goals’, as said by the commentator in the ESFA Final.

It was a season that could not be written. Except that the Hampton Second XI wrote it.

Perfectly.

It was a season of Twogether. Forever.

So, what a journey it has been!

They say things come in threes, and it’s quite something when it’s trophies.

But, silver and gold are just the currency of the game; It’s through your culture of commitment, humility and belief that you made your name.

Thank you to your parents for the group we had the chance to work with,

You have given them countless unforgettable days, And they are proud in so many ways.

Now, we say ‘see you soon’ and thank you for bringing us ‘on the bus’.

It has meant the world to us!

Whilst you’ll all now get off at different stops, your coach(es) will never leave you.

It will be hard to look back and see empty seats, but we’re excited for the next journey you will meet.

We’ll always be twogether in the memory of an exceptional season, bonded by what we all believed in: that to be a good teammate, friend, man is the real win.

Archie Hurst & WSL

Third XI Football

Mr Whiffin’s Third XI team have had an up and down season, reaching 2 finals – of the Elgin League and the Trinity Cup. Unfortunately, neither opportunity resulted in success, but the experiences were undoubtedly worth the disappointment.

One major highlight from the 2024-25 season was our cup match against Bede’s, where we replaced our Second XI team that was otherwise occupied. After an intensely back-and-forth game, we found ourselves 4-2 down in the last 20 mins; but, we managed to pull it back and achieve a thrilling 5-4 comeback win, following Rohan Kripalani’s absolute wonder goal – showing some fast footwork on the edge of the box before side-footing it top right.

Monty Seager’s performance against KCS Wimbledon in the Trinity Cup semi-final was definitely evidence for his case as a firm Second or First XI player in the upcoming 2025-26 season. In helping to bring the team to the Trinity cup final, Monty showed passion, not only against KCS, but throughout the whole season, putting the badge before himself.

Ed Massey was named Player of the Season by Mr Whiffin and the coaches at the Senior Sports Award Ceremony. Ed has consistently shown composure in the midfield, preventing the constant pressure from the opposition from getting to his head in tight scenarios.

Overall, the season has been a wonderful success. Despite the absence of silverware, the year has been a solid experience for the team. It would also be remiss of me not to include mention of George’s free-kick in training against Sam Ellis as another example of a high of this season!

Finally, I hope that the other Upper Sixth Leavers continue their football journey at university – whether that is for their university side or for a local club; I certainly know I will be doing exactly that! Shivam Handa

U16A Football

The U16As delivered a phenomenal season, winning 31 of 33 matches, scoring 155 goals and conceding just 24. With a +130 goal difference and silverware secured, it was a campaign of dominance and flair.

From the opening 8-0 win at Bede’s School, Hampton set the tone. Goals poured in from all directions, with Balti Birts, Adam Malik, Charlie Moffat, and Finley Milner leading a ruthless attack.

Highlights of the season included a 10-0 win at Rutlish School, a 7-0 win at Charterhouse, and a dominant 11-0 result against Eden Park High.

Behind the attacking fireworks was a superb defence. Alessandro Cardinale anchored the back line with authority, while Josh Gaughan and Gabriel Connolly added grit and calmness out wide.

With further help from newcomer Maurice Rey, all the defenders stepped up professionally showing outstanding defensive discipline, ensuring that the U16As were almost impossible to break down.

The team shone in the Surrey Cup, clinching the trophy with a commanding 4-0 win over Woking High School in May. Along the way, they also edged tough battles like the 3-2 semi-final against Ashcombe and dispatched Warlingham 5-1 in the quarters.

A single defeat in the ESFA Cup to Hurstmere was the only blemish of an otherwise flawless run.

With only one draw and one defeat all year, the U16As proved themselves a complete team: free-scoring up front, disciplined at the back, and resilient under pressure.

The 2024-25 U16As will not just be remembered for their results, but for the style, teamwork, and sportsmanship they brought to every match.

A big thanks to Mr Mills for coaching and helping us develop this year – it was certainly a season to remember!

Seb Rautenberg

The U16As emerged victorious in the Arsenal Independent Schools Trophy in what was a hugely enjoyable experience at the prestigious Hale End ground after an impressive, unbeaten campaign that saw domination throughout: four wins and a draw. The boys’ disciplined performances, clinical finishing, and solid defence secured them the top spot with 13 points, finishing three clear of second place Buckswood.

Hampton kicked off their tournament with a strong 2-0 win over Buckswood, setting the tone for the day. An own goal gave the boys an early lead before Finlay Milner sealed the victory with a great strike from outside the box. They continued their winning momentum against Bradfield, where Balti Birts and Yuvraj Sahota found the net in an excellent performance – both defensively and offensively – offering but a single chance to the opposition.

In a tightly contested match against Dulwich College, Hampton were held to a 0-0 draw – the only game where Hampton failed to score. However, after encouraging words from Mr Mills and Mr Towl, the 16As bounced back in style, securing another 2-0 win against Aldenham, thanks to composed finishes from Charlie Moffat and Marcus Solomon

The final game saw the boys face Royal Russell, where Alex Watson and Adam Malik stepped up to score in yet another 2-0 win, confirming Hampton’s dominance in the tournament.

Hampton were a class above their opponents, scoring eight goals and conceding none – a testament to defensive solidity from the back line, leaving captain Seb Rautenberg and Max Cooper with little to do between the sticks. Notably, every goal had a different scorer underlining the squads depth and collective effort.

Of course, a Mr Mills tactical masterclass ensured that the team remained level headed, maintaining consistently high standards throughout, helping the boys on their way to becoming worthy winners of the competition.

CM

U16B Football

TThe 2024-25 U16B season was one that will live long in the memory of those who participated in it – despite its being a season of two halves.

In the first term, between the months of September to December, 12 games were won, and only 1 was lost – and that was to the previous year’s ESFA cup champions. Potentially due to a shifting focus towards GCSEs, the results in the second half of the season were not of the same standard.

Between the months of January and March, only 2 games were won, 1 was drawn and 6 were lost, meaning a win-rate of 22% compared to the 92% win-rate of the first half of the season.

Of the matches played in the first half of the season, one sticks out to me. In the Second Round of our ESFA cup campaign, we faced Glynn School at home on the School’s main pitch: the F2.

The slightly damp grass suited our playing school and allowed us to play some of our best football. However, after the full 90 minute game, the score remained 0-0 due to strong defensive shape from both sides.

Extra-time was to follow, and with only 5 minutes remaining of the game, it looked like penalties were to follow. With only seconds to spare, Nicholas Hennebry received the ball from a throw-in and took on two players; there was only a small opening between the goalpost and the goalkeeper, but Nick was able to find it, winning the game in the dying embers. He knee-slid towards the few people who had come to watch the game, and the whole squad followed, causing a pile on.

The happiness that we all felt in that moment cannot be overstated, especially after almost 2 hours of football. Although our ESFA campaign would end a few weeks later – to the previous year’s champions – that moment will never be forgotten by the team.

With Senior Football for the next two years to follow, this season was our last as a group – after five years of training, playing, and travelling together – and it will feel strange to no longer be with the same people. But, of course, we look forward to the new challenge and the matches to come.

Thank you to Mr Fuldner, whose tactics and words of wisdom helped us to win the first 12 games in a row. Thank you also to all of our supporters and parents for their commitment and dedication to the side!

Maurice Rey

U15A Football

Reflecting on the 2024-25 season, the U15As have a great deal to be proud of. The boys played 37 games, winning 29 of them, scoring a total of 125 goals. Defensively, the side were strong too, conceding only 41, resulting in an impressive goal-difference of 84.

This was testament to the hard work the boys put in throughout the season, and the tactical brilliance that our coaches instilled in us. Thus, we have a lot to thank our coaches, Mr Boyes and Mr Burke, for; they devoted countless hours of their time to improving our understanding of the game.

As a result, the U15As enjoyed a glut of success, with tremendous runs in the Elgin League, the ISFA cup, and the ESFA cup.

At the start of the season, the boys set the tone by winning 7 games and only losing one to Eton before embarking on a tour to Spain. These fixtures included two ESFA cup fixtures, such as a convincing 9-0 win over Overton Grange, as well as two victories in the Elgin league.

During these games, Leo Nishida, a fan favourite, proved his brilliance in midfield against Winchester. Plus, our goalkeeper Sam Hudson, was particularly impressive against Forest, earning himself the clean sheet.

After two fixtures abroad, the boys returned to the task at hand with an invincible run until the December break, winning eight out of eight games played, and progressing to the quarter-finals of the ISFA cup and Round 6 of the ESFA cup.

In the ISFA cup round of 16, Tolu Idowu scored a header to narrowly send us into the quarter-finals, whilst, in Round 5 of the ESFA Cup, we came against Waingels, where we achieved a 4-1 victory. This was enough to seal our place in the next round, with Henry Wood being particularly strong defensively at left-back.

Whilst a particularly dominant period of the season, the boys faced a scare in the ISFA cup against a strong Lingfield side. By halftime, Hampton was 3-0 down but hope was not lost. After a much-needed team talk, the boys clawed back the scoreline to 4-3. Two goals came from Ben Whiteley, with Alex Pollock and Oliver Khaksar adding to their goal tallies too.

Another highlight during this period was a hat-trick of free kicks by Alex Pollock against Charterhouse. This was a tremendous feat; however, this was not the only impressive performance in this game. Seb Howard yet again showed his class on and off the ball and controlled the game from midfield.

By the time we returned from Christmas, we were onto the final stretch of the season. The boys returned firing at full power, determined to get their hands on silverware.

The first game was the quarter-finals of the ISFA cup: a highly anticipated fixture against Epsom. The boys sought revenge after a narrow loss the year before, and they managed to prevail. This was aided by an exceptional performance coming from Noah Rasi De Mel, whose work rate was second to none down the wing.

Then it was ESFA Round 6 against The Mountbatten School, where the boys fought hard to achieve the win. The score ended 5-0, with a tremendous assist coming from Joe Timba at right-back.

With each game the side edged closer to each final, but we knew we had to take it game by game.

On the horizon was the ESFA Round of 16 against Hurstmere, where the boys fell short the year before. Despite this, the team went out fighting, securing a 2-1 win and – most importantly – a place in the ESFA cup quarter-final.

However, there were more games to play, and, just over a week later, was the ISFA cup semi-final.

This came against a strong Repton team, where Ben Whiteley and Rufus Lawson produced fantastic performances, contributing to the 4-1 victory, and sending the team into the first final of the campaign.

But, despite our successes, it was not time to celebrate, as the Elgin League too was nearing a close. The boys had managed to make it to the semi-final against Aldenham, where the game was decided by penalties. Yet, the boys were still successful, and once again secured a spot in another final.

With this success, the boys moved into a break with much to celebrate and much needed time to recover from such a busy schedule. But, by the time they returned, the most important fixtures of the campaign would be waiting.

The first fixture was an ESFA cup quarter-final, away at Samuel Whitbread. It was another high-scoring game, where the boys found themselves at a scoreline of 4-4, having been pulled back to a level position. With minutes to go, Ned Leonard buried a header into the goal sending us into the semi-final of the ESFA cup – further than we had ever gone before!

Next to come was the ISFA cup final at Burton Albion’s home ground, against a familiar Aldenham side. This was the first taste of a final for the boys, and something which they will not forget – especially with the support of their friends and family who travelled up for occasion.

The boys fought hard but were on the back foot at 3 down with little time remaining. The comeback was on. With much determination, the score finished 3-2 – falling just short of the target. It was a bittersweet experience, but there were some fantastic performances on display; this included Kota Dooley, who brought the game to life when he was brought onto the pitch.

The next fixture to come was the Elgin final, against Royal Russell; after full time, the sides were still level. This meant penalties, where the boys narrowly fell short of the mark.

Our hopes and dreams now lay with the ESFA cup, where all the boys were determined to battle to the end. We faced Aldenham again in the semis, whom we had lost to in the ISFA cup final.

Emotion was high before the game, and revenge was what we wanted, but soon we were down by two at home. Despite this, we battled hard, and Oliver Khaksar managed to score two to take us to extra time. Yet again the boys persevered, and, by the end of extra time, the score was 5-2 to Hampton, with Oliver scoring another two sending us to the final.

Despite our joy, with the final two months ahead, we had to continue to work hard to prepare.

Before we knew it, it was the day of the final, a fixture against Wright Robinson College at the Hawthorns. It was a truly amazing experience, playing in a professional stadium with our fans chanting loud for all to hear – it is something that the boys will remember!

During the game, we were on the back foot once again, down by two goals shortly after halftime; but, as usual, we trusted our ability. We knew we were masters of comebacks. And this we certainly achieved.

We managed to battle our way back to 2-2, with some heroics in defence by Tom Scrimshaw, but we could not give ourselves an

U15 ESFA Cup

See more images on pages 184–187

advantage before normal time was up. The game was to be decided by penalties – a true lottery, where we narrowly lost once again.

It was a tough feeling to accept, since with such hard work we had fallen just short of lifting the silverware we deserved. However, we still had to remember what we achieved along the way, becoming the only U15 team to each all three finals – a huge improvement from our previous season.

Regardless, the boys are ready for 2025-26 season, where I am sure the team will be successful – and fight just as hard as they did this year!

On behalf of the entire team, we would like to thank all the coaches, especially Mr Boyes and Mr Burke, who helped make our successful season possible. Without them we would not have achieved half as much as we did, and we are truly thankful for the effort they put in to training and preparing us well week-in-week-out. We would also like to thank all of the travelling support, both parents as well as boys in our Year, for supporting us during our campaign.

James Phillips

U15B Football

The U15B’s 24-25 season was a superb one for the boys; with 27 games played, 21 were won, 1 was drawn, and 5 were lost. We ended the year with a goal-difference of 92, with 124 goals for and only 32 goals against. Our top-scorer was Ashton Crossley, with 37 goals.

Having had a successful U14B season, including an ESFA quarterfinal, the boys were ready and excited to start the new season off with a bang – especially as we had a new coach, in the form of Mr Finnerty, who had his first season at Hampton last year.

Our season started off on the right foot, with comfortable wins against Alleyn’s and Bedes, winning 4-2 and 6-0 respectively. However, our main focus on this season was the ESFA Cup and Elgin League. We started off strongly in both of those competitions, winning against teams including Bradfield and Windsor Boys.

By the October half term we were in a very strong position: still in both cups and unbeaten. During the same half-term, we went to Spain to train with Villereal FC and watch them play at the Estadia De La Ceramica. It was an amazing and eye-opening experience that the boys really enjoyed and were grateful for.

After this amazing trip, the team bonded really well.

Harisson Gilbert was a very safe and reliable goalkeeper who managed to get 12 clean sheets. The new centre-back partnership of George Moira and Arthur Kangis started to bloom, alongside Paul Isalan and Oscar Leonard as our trusty full-backs. Will Bush, Zaki Chapman, and Myan Mallipedi also came off the bench to provide that extra defensive support.

Protecting the defence was the dynamic midfield trio of Ollie Hazel, Brennan Coletta, and Theo Jenkins. However, this only lasted a season, as Brennan left us as Christmas. Even though Brennan had left, Ethan Price stepped up, playing a big role and filling his boots – even more impressive as he had just come up from the Cs.

A key component of our attack, scoring a combined 124 goals, was our attacking midfielders: Ruben Easter, Bailey Hornsby-Clifton, and Grigory Dobrynin – who even filled in at right-back at some points. These players were at the heart of the attack, feeding balls out to the wingers and striker – and, of course, scoring a great deal themselves!

Our pacey wingers, Tioba Shittu-Balogun, Adam Saker, Danny Pritchard, and Rufus Lawless, really caused nightmares for opposition defenders.

Ashton Crossley lead the front-line as our top goal scorer this season, with 37 goals – a phenomenal achievement.

Part of what made him so determined to score so many goals was the success of arrival Isaac Hurst, who, just like Ethan Price, was a real game-changer and fitted in very well into this strong side. He provided fantastic competition for Ashton in his position as starting striker.

Everyone played really well this season; everyone was an integral part to how successful our season was. A special shoutout goes to Brennan Coletta; he was the captain and the heart of our midfield, before he left to pursue his tennis aspirations.

Halfway through the season, the team and Mr Finnerty had really bonded, and it showed in our performances: winning games 9-0, 10-1, and even 14-0! We were playing very well, and our confidence was high.

With this, we managed to reach the quarter-final of the ESFA cup; we faced the favourites to win it: reigning champions, Kingsdale. Unfortunately, it did not go our way on the day.

We played well in the first half to keep their dangerous striker quiet and have some chances of our own. However, in the 60th minute, we found ourselves 2-0 down, meaning we had to push for those goals.

As we were very attacking, they managed to put four more past us on the counter-attack. This was a devastating blow, as our aspirations for the season were to reach the semis as last year we were also knocked out in the quarters.

Despite this, we still had to put our focus on the Elgin league final against Whitgift. After a hard-fought battle, the game ended up 3-2 to Whitgift.

Despite not quite getting the perfect, desired results in the two cup competitions, the team played extremely well throughout the season and bonded together well. We cannot wait for next season with Mr Fuldner as our new coach. Thank you also to all of our parents f or supporting us all season.

Arthur Kangis

U15C Football

The U15C’s season kicked off with a comfortable 6-1 home win against Winchester College.

However, the team then suffered a closely fought 3-2 defeat away to Bradfield, despite a strong performance; on another day, the result could easily have gone the other way.

The team bounced back the following week with an 11-0 thrashing of Forest School, which included a Sanjit Baber hat-trick.

We then went on an 11-game winning streak, including two victories over Eton College – which included a notably great performance from Alex Lapidus – a comfortable 6-0 win against Whitgift, and a 4-1 victory against Royal Russell’s B team.

The team were brilliant defensively. In particular, we benefited from the strong pairing of vice-captain William Denmark and AJ Coady, who helped the team to six clean sheets. Our fullbacks, Zaki Chapman, Charlie Donald, Ethan Geiger, Dylan Love, and Haadi Hariri, were superb in defence and in starting off attacks.

At the core of our hard-working midfield were Ethan Price, captain Jack Haynes, and vice-captain Isaac Mistry

Our forwards, Isaac Hurst, top-scorer Sanjit Baber, and Oscar Midgley-Carver – who scored a great hat-trick against St John’s –were terrorising defences all year.

There was also a great rotation in the team, with Max Pagnamenta, Haadi Hariri, and Hamza Yahie playing in both attacking and midfield areas.

Overall, it was a great season, led by Mr Cumberbatch – despite many games being cancelled – in which we enjoyed 12 wins and suffered only 2 losses; our 67 goals scored with just 14 conceded further emphasised the success of the team all round.

Bring on next year!

Jack Haynes

U15 ESFA Cup

U15 ESFA Cup

U14A Football

This season has had its ups and downs; but, overall, it has been a great year for us as a team. We have faced some tough opposition; but, we also put on some strong performances, and, most importantly, we improved hugely as a team.

We started the season well, with some convincing wins early on –including a 5-0 victory against Winchester and then scoring six against Alleyn’s. Those games set the tone and showed how well we could play when things clicked.

One of the most memorable parts of the year was the Arsenal Tournament – getting the chance to play at a Premier League training ground was something we looked forward to all season. The standard was high, but we showed up and competed well; even though we did not win it, I thought we made a big step up against teams we have previously lost to this season.

However, there were also some frustrating losses as well – especially the ones where we felt like we could have got more from the game.

Matches such as the 2-1 losses to Bradfield and Charters were hard to take; we were purely outmuscled and outplayed in these instances. Yet, despite this, we always responded positively!

The 3-2 win over St Paul’s was a major highlight; it showed our resilience and how much we had grown over the season – even though the game turned out closer than it need to be.

We also had a good run in the Surrey Cup, beating Harrodian and Therfield. Even though we were knocked out later by Coombe, we gave it our best shot; we will come back stronger next year.

Another strong team performance was the win at the Richmond Borough Futsal Tournament; it was a good experience and a brilliant way to end the season on a thoroughly positive note

Across the year, everyone in the squad played a part. Whether it was coming up with big goals, important tackles, or just putting in the work. Throughout, the team always gave everything they could.

We have built a lot of chemistry as a group, and there has been a noticeable improvement in how we play together. Although the team will be disappointed with aspects of our results over the course of the season as a whole, we will use it as a springboard to improve further next season.

Thank you to all of the coaches, staff, and parents who made the season possible!

Cillian Connolly

U14B Football

The U14 Bs had a season of great success: winning 14 games, drawing three, and losing just two, and going on a strong run to the Round of 16 in the ESFA cup competition.

To begin the season, a 6-0 win to begin versus Winchester College saw Isaac de Quintal score a hat-trick, with Stan Hughes assisting all three goals. Following that, a poor start against Bede’s School saw us 2-0 down after 20 minutes; however, thanks to two goals from corners taken by Shay Bhagwan and a brace from Jenson Greenwood, we made a superb comeback to win 4-2.

After a convincing 4-1 win against Alleyn’s School, we were faced with our first ESFA game of the season: home to Rutlish School. It was the first cup experience at Hampton for many new joiners to the School, so it came without surprise that the first half would end 0-0. As we relaxed into the game, we began to play much more fluidly, and the game finished a convincing 3-0.

In the next games, a tight 1-0 win against Bradfield School – in which George Scholes scored the winner after a scramble from a corner – and a simple 6-0 win versus Forest School – in which Nayan Wilson scored a brace – continued our winning streak.

Our first draw of the season then came against Eton College: 3-3.

In our next ESFA game, we faced a much tougher opponent: St Paul’s Academy. Ultimately, we scraped a 3-2 win, thanks to clinical finishing and strong defending.

In the next games, we won 6-0 and 4-0 and drew two games 3-3 versus Ardingly School and Eton College – yet again! In both drawn games, we were down 3-1 and 3-2 respectively with just minutes remaining, but goals in the dying moments secured the draws, including a brilliant, precise freekick from Elijah Thomson against Ardingly.

In the final week of term, we were faced with our ESFA round three opponent: Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy. Winning comfortably 3-0, meant that we finished the term unbeaten.

Entering the Spring term, we were faced with our ESFA Round of 16 opponents: Raven’s Wood School. We began the game with an early goal from Seb Wright; however, they responded with two goals –despite the heroics from Eric Rainey in goal – and, with just seconds left, Charlie McNeil scored the equaliser to send us to extra-time. Going into extra-time, we lost concentration, and the game ended 2-4, sending us out of the ESFA cup.

Unfortunately, plagued with injuries, we also proceeded to lose the next game 3-1 to Dulwich College.

Despite this setback, in the final four games of the season, we won every game with an aggregate score of 16-2: 3-0, 6-0, 2-1, and 5-1.

Highlights from these games included a hat-trick from our top goalscorer, Seb Wright, in the final game, and Luke Mills taking the armband from George Scholes for the final two games to lead us to victory in both.

Overall, this season’s U14Bs displayed a range of strengths: a particularly strong defence, which conceded only 24 goals during the season; a commanding midfield, featuring the strength and vision of Josh Laughton, Josh Simmonds, Elijah Thomson, and Henry Sage; and an attack to match, which scored over three goals a game on average thanks to the chance-creation of Freddie Reed-Sperrin and Thomas Hintzen and the goalscoring of Stan Hughes, Charlie McNeil and Luke Mills.

We dominated a large majority of our games and were unbeaten for a large part of the season, and, next season, we will push to go further in the ESFA cup competition! Thank you to our coaches and parents for supporting us all the way.

George Scholes

U14C Football

I am pleased to say that, as a team, we enjoyed a great and successful season; we played 12 games, of which we won five and drew three of them. We always put on very confident performances, even in our losses.

On behalf of the whole team, I would like to thank Mr John and Ms Smith for their expertise in management and training – as well as all the groundskeeping staff for allowing us to have the pleasure of such an enjoyable season.

Each player played exceptionally well as individuals – and even more so as a team.

Starting from goalkeeper, we had Josh Button and Tom Hunt – playing in rotation; both made many incredible saves that kept us in games.

Our defence was also incredibly solid and made an excellent job of both tracking back to defend counter-attacks as well as helping to start off new attacks. This defence allowed us to maintain a goal difference of +13, and we conceded very few goals in all our matches. The defence consisted of Seb and Isaac Dann, Jiashan Li, Alex Paton, Tom Hunt, and Neo Tigges. Each member of this backline enjoyed standout performances and were involved heavily in attacks as well as defending.

It was in the midfield that many important battles took place on the pitch; they played an essential part in the success of the team’s season. Finn Readey and Jay Aragon played as defensive midfielders and made

countless tackles and interceptions throughout the year. Playing in front of them were Navid Soufizadeh and Finn Themistoculeous; both of them completed a huge number of incredibly skilful dribbles to help generate attacks and to open up defences.

As for our attackers – as for all other positions – we played in regular rotation: Anthony Simonov, Joe Reeman, Thomas Pfanner, Oscar Frydman-Ornsteen, and Daniel Savage. We managed to score 34 goals throughout the year, and some of us also dropped into midfield at times to assist in case of injury or unavailability.

Overall, I would like to reinforce our message of thanks to all of the coaches and groundskeepers for helping to organise and allow the matches to take place throughout the year – we all thoroughly enjoyed every moment.

Daniel Savage

U14D Football

This year was a highly successful one for the U14Ds, coached by Mr Bailey; through all the highs and lows, everyone involved certainly had a lot of fun.

Three games unbeaten – two wins and a draw – really gave the season an exciting start, especially an excellent defensive display to hold on to a 1-0 lead against Bradfield College.

However, two consecutive losses against Eton and Charterhouse proved a challenge for our team. Yet, in the reverse fixture against Charterhouse, a brilliant display both in defence and attack rewarded us with a 4-0 victory, with Alex Carmichael-Schofield scoring a superb hat-trick.

After the New Year, we were all raring to go for another six games of football; unfortunately, half of these fixtures were cancelled due to bad weather.

In the subsequent three games that we played we went win-less, despite two tense draws: one against St Paul’s School, even though we dominated for most of the game, and the other a draw against Reading Blue Coat School due to a thoroughly controversial and much-debated penalty.

This season may not have gone exactly how we wanted it to go, but it was certainly very promising for the future.

Thanks to Mr Bailey for giving up so much of his time to coach us, and thanks also to all the parents who came to support us throughout the season.

Fred Owen & Liam Clerkson

U13A Football

After an incredibly enjoyable season, I can say that everyone in our team enjoyed every second of it!

From our amazing cup run to the semis of ISFA and our 9 wins from 18 games, I – and I am betting the whole team – can say we were extremely successful; we should all be hugely proud of our achievements.

A large congratulations to those who came up through the teams to help us and improve our side, and, of course, very well done to all who played for us throughout the season.

From our penalty shootout win, and through our cup run and eventual loss, everybody played their part and did their best; for that, I am very grateful.

A massive thank you to Mr Ritchie, Mr Hurst, and all the coaches that helped manage our team and make training as enjoyable as it was. We are all extremely grateful for your help in making our season as good as possible. Thank you also to all of the parents and supporters for giving up your time to watch us play!

We should be proud of the immense improvement from the start of the season and look forward to the future seasons – in which I am sure we will improve just as much.

Thomas Young

U13B Football

The U13Bs had a pretty successful season, all told. They played 18 games, winning 12 of them, with 2 draws and 4 losses.

A reasonable run in the ESFA cup, including a dramatic win on penalties in the 4th round was ended in the 5th round, with a 1-0 loss to

Sir Bernard Lovell School, but the year as a whole is one that the boys should feel proud of. They played some excellent football and developed well both individually, but also as a team. They were certainly a pleasure to coach.

Ollie Scrimshaw was a solid presence in goal, with some excellent natural instincts and the opportunity to become even better with time and confidence.

In defence, Wilf Waterworth and Thomas Chivers were the starting centre backs, until Thomas was injured half way through the season, with Mika Rahman stifling his more attacking instincts to step into the back 4.

All of them provided solid, perceptive backline play and a base from which the team could play their attractive brand of football.

At fullback, Harry Dixon was a revelation. Ferocious tackling and an equally ferocious work-rate made him a menace for opposing wingers, and full backs when he made overlapping runs.

Noah Mearza was asked to flip between left back and centre back, but always offered solidity and composure. Lucas Taylor also demonstrated real ability in the left back position, with his composure on the ball, combined with tenacious defensive work, making him a key part of being able to both defend effectively, but also build from the back.

Later in the season, Tomo Sudo joined the squad – offering driving runs forward and, frankly ludicrous, long throws. It feels as if full back could be a position of strength in years to come.

On the wings, Wyatt Musil and Stephane Ansel caused trouble for opposition defences all year. Stephane’s directness, speed and power was unstoppable at times, leading to him scoring 8 goals. Wyatt’s crafty wingplay offered a perfect counterpoint and gave the team a different potential way to unlock a defence.

In central midfield, Theo Pack was solid all year, delivering confident defence and perceptive passing. Toby Woods was comfortable on the ball and grew in stature as the season progressed, always offering an outlet and always making it difficult for the other side to play.

William Potter created some of the highlight moments of the year with superb vision and deft close control. Finn Timba was always a creative force when he was on the pitch, with some exceptional passes and a level of composure that always gave him the chance of impacting the game.

Halfway through the season, Harry Richardson joined the squad and brought a level of desire and work-rate that drove the rest of the side to greater heights; his impact was noticeable.

Up front was Robert Wrigglesworth, who scored 23 goals in 19 games. Of course, in may instances, his goals were created by others, and were part of a greater team effort, but his tireless running and movement enabled the team to play the football that they did and, when presented with a chance to score, he generally took it.

Overall, it was a great season for a great group of young men, with a strong future of Hampton School football ahead of them.

TJG

U13C Football

The U13Cs had a remarkable season, playing 13 matches and losing only one – a testament to their hard work, teamwork, and determination throughout the year.

Across the season, the team scored an impressive 58 goals and conceded just 25, showing a fantastic balance between attacking flair and defensive resilience.

The season kicked off with an unforgettable away match against Alleyn’s School. It was an end-to-end thriller that set the tone for the months to come. The team edged a dramatic 5-4 win, thanks to a never-give-up attitude and a fabulous winner from Ridhaan Gala.

Among the most memorable victories was a stunning 11-1 win over Glyn School, showcasing our dominance and fluidity in front of goal. Equally unforgettable was the fiercely contested win against Harrodian School, where the team had to dig deep and defend with real grit to preserve their narrow lead – a true example of teamwork and commitment.

Midfield maestro Artem Kichigin was a consistent engine for the team, always putting in maximum effort and setting the tempo of the game. In the first half of the season, Tomo Sudo added real creativity and danger from midfield, with his long throw-ins being a real asset, before being moved up to the Bs.

The midfielders worked really hard in every game, and substitutions were many and seamless. Noriki Wang added skill, composure and important goals, while Jayen Li brought flair and attacking intent to the team.

In goal, Alex Barkus was a rock at the back; he always had an important save in his locker – which also saved the team at times – only conceding 25 goals throughout the whole season.

Up front, Josh Pagnamenta and Ridhaan Gala took turns leading the line up top, each scoring vital goals in tough matches against strong opponents. Their ability to score goals was unmatchable.

Defensively, the team was solid. Devan Shah and George Baillie were the season centre-back pairing, building a strong foundation from the back, which led to some incredible free-flowing football. They built some good partnerships and helping each other always.

Devan was the captain who led the team from the back, always reading the game and having the knack of being in the right place. George’s relentlessness to keep on trying to win the ball was also key to the team’s success.

On the left, Kailan Sivakumaran started as a pacey left-back, always

able to beat his man. Later in the season, he transitioned into a more attacking role – a move that paid off handsomely, as he scored freely and even bagged multiple hat-tricks.

Aman Chatha was very versatile, slotting in wherever needed and performing reliably in every position – a true team player.

Thomas Petrou became known for his perfectly timed slide tackles and defensive awareness. He had his crowning moment of the season when he scored the winning goal against Dulwich – a dramatic and proud highlight for the team.

Dante Athnasious was a great player who did not always have the size advantage; he used his agility and hunger to win the ball and also beat his opponents, which was an incredible skill to have.

Throughout the season, we had some players joining us who put in a real shift that did not go unnoticed. We had Julian Micaleff, Thomas Pearce, and Yousuf Hussain – thank you to them; they stepped up when we needed them most.

Every player played their part in what was an outstanding season full of memories, character, and growth. Throughout the season, it was noticeable that the chemistry and friendships inside and outside of football were built, creating strong foundations for future years.

Thank you to the coaches and parents who made all of this possible! Devan Shah

U13D Football

The U13Ds enjoyed a sterling season, winning 7 of their 8 games, scoring 32, and only conceding 8.

The campaign started with comfortable wins over Radnor House and Grey Court, 3-0 and 4-1 respectively, and a particularly strong 5-2 away win against Forest School. Francisco Conte-Ireland, Yousuf Ravalia, and Dante Athanasius were particularly impressive in these performances.

A disappointing – but narrow – 4-3 loss to Berkhamsted was a disappointment, but the team responded strongly by winning 6-0 against Harrodian’s U12B team.

After Christmas, a double header against Dulwich U13Cs and Dulwich Prep U13Cs gave the team two more wins, 2-1 & 3-0 – with Alexander Arndt getting his first goal – and then the team capped off a fine season with a comprehensive 6-0 win over Reading Bluecoat.

The team was expertly marshalled by Emile Steimberg in goal and captain Caesar Chen at centre back, with Rayan Albayetti and Dushyant Parthiban controlling games from the midfield.

The threat from the flanks was provided by George Corbett, Julian Micallef, and Jack Thorne, and after Ravalia departed for sunnier climbs, upfront the goalscoring instincts of Ian Lu and Yousuf Hussain meant that goals were never far away.

All who contributed and played should be very proud of their achievements, and I look forward to seeing them develop as they move up through the year groups.

Rafferty O’Connor-Zumla

U12A Football

At the start of September 2024, 13 boys from 10 different junior schools were brought together by Mr Towl to create the U12A Hampton Football team 2024-25.

Unsurprisingly, with very few of us ever having played together before and in fact – not even knowing each other’s names – it was a very challenging start to the season!

Despite this challenge, we managed to beat KGS with a close 3-2 victory in only our second game!

Week by week, as we slowly came together, and despite several defeats, we could see big improvements in the team. The defence, consisting of Rahim Khan, Max King, Sammy Henson, and our goalie, Lucas Farnsworth, formed a great partnership. By the middle of October, we achieved our first clean sheet, with a 6-0 victory over Radnor House. This victory marked a real turning point in our results as defeats turned into draws and draws turned into victories.

With the team showing excellent resilience, we left for the Christmas break confident that we would build on everything we had learnt in the first term at Hampton and start the Spring term strongly.

2025 began with Silas Ireland joining the team, ready to bring something new. Everyone was in a great mood with our team demonstrating excellent form right from the first game in 2025.

With only one loss throughout the second term, the team showed remarkable consistency.

Highlights included beating Kings College Wimbledon 7-4 and a hard-fought win over Wilson’s school 3-2 – this was especially sweet as we had lost to them at the start of the season.

Our wingers, Ethan Chow, Silas Ireland, Barney Mathieson, and Billy Yorath, brought width to the pitch, ensuring balls were being delivered into the box to provide opportunities for our goal-machines up front, Kyle Osborne and Peter Rey-Rabb, who delivered goals every week.

Centrally, controlling the midfield, were Luke Whyte, Nico Liebster, and Jesse Galustian; they covered the pitch, providing help in both defence and attack and brought further strength to the team.

Thanks must go to the outstanding coaching of Mr Towl, which, combined with our excellent teamwork, resulted in victory in 5 out of the last 8 games of the season alongside 2 draws. Thank you also to all of the parents for their support week in week out!

Overall, the season finished with 20 games played, 8 wins, 2 draws, and 10 losses. The statistics also showed that we scored 59 goals, conceded 64 – and managed all of this despite two of the boys breaking their wrists during the season!

As we continue our football journey at Hampton, we are all very excited to see what we can achieve in the Second Year.

Max King

U12C Football

Hampton’s U12Cs had an amazing season; we won 12 of our 14 matches and only lost 2. This – alongside our incredible 64 goal difference –meant that we were, largely, an unstoppable force throughout the year. We typically overpowered any team that came our way.

Our only two losses were very tight games, and we only lost by one goal. Despite these two losses, we remained unbeaten in 2025.

My favourite match was our 5-3 victory over Berkhamsted. They were one of the hardest teams we had to play, and, from the start, we knew that they would be hard to break down.

After conceding the first goal, we answered quickly and scored; at the end of the half, we had a comfortable 3-1 lead. They quickly responded and scored two in a matter of minutes, and it was a tied game. It came down to the wire; in the last few minutes, we scored two goals that saw us to our 5-3 win.

Another favourite of this season was a 1-0 victory against Glyn. From the start, Glyn seemed to be the better side, maintaining possession and taking lots of shots.

But our keepers, Edward Jolliffe and Nicholas Roberts, kept making save after save to keep us in the match. Towards the end of the first half, a smart play from Milo Batra set up Felix Hedin for the shot to make it 1-0 before half time.

The rest of the game was just about keeping our lead against such a strong side. With the defensive prowess of Seb Goode, Jake Lee, and Theo Rainey, we managed to hold onto our led for the rest of the match.

Our captain, Noah Neoh-Arhbi, led the midfield, alongside Daniel Fitzpatrick, Panshul Bhardwaj, and Aryan Tewatia; they proved to be vital throughout the season, creating chances and helping in both attack and defence.

Our attack scored an outstanding 79 goals; Luca Dhaliwal, Felix Hedin, and Milo Batra were fantastically consistent goalscorers throughout whole season.

Overall, the U12Cs had a wonderful season that they should be proud of, and I am excited for what next season has in store for us. 11-a-side football will be a challenge for us, but I have no doubt that we will continue to perform.

Thank you to all the coaches that have worked with us, especially Mr Harrison. Thank you also to our wonderful parents and supporters. Xavier Takhar

U12D Football

What a season it has been!

As the captain of the Under 12Ds, I could not be prouder of every single player who contributed to our amazing journey throughout the season. We went into the season with three goals – no pun intended: to work as a team; give our best in every match; and to enjoy our football.

To finish the season with only one loss, and only a 1-0 defeat at that, is really something special – a memory we will all carry with us for a long time.

From the first whistle to the last, everyone gave 100%. Whether it was brilliant goals, last – minute tackles, or cheering from the sidelines, we stuck together. There were tough moments, close games, and muddy pitches – but not Hampton’s of course – our determination never dropped. The match teas were always a winner too.

A massive thank you to our coaches, who believed in us and pushed us to be better every week – and to our families who supported us from the pitch or from afar. A huge thank you also, from all of us, to Mr Barnes!

This season has shown what hard work, teamwork, reflection, and a spoonful of belief can do. We’ve set the bar high – and can’t wait for next year!

Well done Ds!

Rafferty O’Connor-Zumla

Rugby

First XV Rugby

The 2024-25 season for the Hampton First XV started at the annual curtain raiser: the Esher President’s Cup.

With a fair number of fresh faces, Hampton started the season against Millfield – who would be a frequent opponent over the course of the season – and entertained the crowd with a ‘thrilling’ 0-0 draw.

Having blown off the cobwebs during that first game, Hampton hit full stride with convincing wins against Ipswich and Cardinal Newman, with Will Squire scoring the pick of the tries, on his debut for the Hampton First XV, and Alfie Amor donning the black and yellow hoops for the first time.

This success set up Hampton a final on the showpiece pitch against rivals Whitgift. Ultimately, we ultimately fell just short in that match, but the foundations were firmly established to push the season onwards.

Hampton’s first block fixture of the season came against KCS Wimbledon.

In the hot, early-season conditions, Hampton managed a narrow win, with Tim Wright’s penalty proving the difference between the two sides.

This lead us nicely into our Friday night fixture against Brighton, at Brighton RFC. Under the lights and a with a thoroughly decent crowd in attendance, a few mistakes cost us; but, it was still excellent to see First XV debuts, including that of Gabe Salmassian

After this, there was a tight defeat to RGS High Wycombe; but, despite this setback, next came one of Hampton’s best performances: the National Cup Round 2 against KCS Wimbledon.

A tight game resulted in Hampton hanging onto a 22-19 victory, moving us on to the next round of the cup – much to the delight of the crowd accumulated on the sidelines!

Rounding off September, there was a hugely pleasing and strong victory against Seaford College, in which Toby Smith ran the length of the pitch in typical fashion.

A dominant victory against St Benedict’s would precede our National Cup Round 3 match away at rivals Epsom College.

In a game which would characterise our season, Hampton fought hard – with Eddie Nieland, amongst others, proving their worth – but ultimately came up short, despite being on Epsom’s line in the dying embers.

This was a performance to be proud of, and there was a great deal to take into the upcoming St Joseph Festival.

On day 1 at St Joe’s, Hampton calmly dispatched Trinity School, with Joe Cornell providing the points, then defeating Blundell’s School, in which Nick Lynagh scored one of the tries of the tournament – a highlight in what would be his last outing of the season.

This early success set up a group decider against the hosts, St Joe’s.

With the side 10-0 down with minutes to go, we were able to produce one of our greatest comebacks; Tim Wright ultimately kicked the deciding, high-pressure penalty as the sun was going down to pull us level.

What followed was one enormous celebration! Hampton had finished the day as group winners, storming into Day 2.

Day 2 began with a tight loss against Brighton College; but, this setback was followed up by a dominant 26-0 victory against Strathallan School, with Leo Luczkiw scoring the pick of the tries from a cross-field kick.

This victory set up a plate final against Millfield. Unfortunately, in the very much horizontal rain, Hampton came up just short.

After the half term, Hampton travelled away to Croydon, to face Trinity School. A tight game followed with Will Wallace and Harry Armstrong getting tries, before Tim Wright sunk yet another last-minute kick to win us the game.

Following on from this was a tight defeat at home against Cranleigh, before we responded with a dominant victory away at Reading Blue Coat School, with Thomas Deedman’s hat-trick – unsurprisingly – a notable highlight.

After Christmas, John Fisher were first up; this match was marked by the welcome return of Thomas Kilpatrick. Hampton effectively dispatched Fisher, with William Skinner orchestrating the game and Ben Conaghan getting in on the tries.

Next up was another game against rivals Whitgift – in which Hampton, unfortunately, came up short.

The last fifteen-aside match was a ‘tasty’ Friday Night Lights affair against local rivals St George’s Weybridge. In arctic conditions, Hampton produced a performance to remember, holding on for a 19-17 victory – a fitting way for the Upper Sixth to sign off the XV season.

The 7s season started with the traditional curtain-raiser as we hosted the Hampton 7s.

An initial group win against Hurstpierpoint College started our tournament off well, before losses against St John’s, Millfield, and Epsom College resulting in the side failing to progress to the next stage.

Feeling a bit aggrieved after the Hampton 7s, the side was able to target the Middlesex 7s competition that was up next.

Strong groups wins against Northampton School for Boys, Finborough School, and London Oratory – with aggregate points scored of over 110 – put Hampton on strong footing for the knockout stages.

Next, we faced ACE school Gordon’s, which Hampton dispatched 43-0, with Fifth Year Stan Amor truly coming into his own. In the final, we faced Millfield – for the fourth time in the season – finally registering a victory – triumphing 26-7, with Danny Settle scoring the pick of the tries and Hampton winning the first silverware of the season.

Off the back of Middlesex, next up was the Surrey Sevens. Convincing wins against KCS, for the third time during the season, and Campion School, set up a group decider against Whitgift.

Unfortunately, a close defeat meant we faced up against Bishop Wand ACE in the knockout stages. A further loss meant we went home with a great deal to think about ahead of Rosslyn Park, a week after.

Rosslyn Park started off well; we put in a hugely impressive performance to beat a full-strength Gordon’s ACE 31-7, with Toby Smith on fire and Matt Parker dominating the kick offs. Next followed a draw against Exeter College and a tight defeat against Berkhamsted School. This set up a winner-takes-all decider against Blundell’s that would determine whether Hampton made it to day 2.

On the show pitch, Hampton dispatched Blundell’s 29-7 to secure a place at day 2 and to continue the long Hampton tradition of making the second day at the National Sevens.

Bolstered by the addition of Will Wallace to the squad – after the injury of Matt Parker during his heroics against Blundell’s – Hampton started day 2 with a bang.

Rebel Rugby Academy were defeated, 12-7, in front of Hampton alumni Jamie Benson OH and the boys were confident for the day ahead.

Unfortunately, losses against Warwick School and Epsom College followed which meant Hampton did not make out of the second day group. Despite this, our experiences meant that we had gained a great deal of confidence ahead of the Sedbergh national tens the following weekend.

After the long drive up to Sedbergh, Hampton started day 1 with a dominant victory against Cokethorpe School. Next up was rugby powerhouse Kirkham, who Hampton dispatched in front of a large crowd on pitch 1. Kirkham were stunned by some Toby Smith magic – as he scored the Try of Tournament – and some tough, southern hardiness! This victory secured our position in the cup competition for day 2, emulating the performance of last year.

First game on day 2 was against common foe Brighton College. Down on pitch 3, Brighton walked down with their usual swagger, but Hampton efficiently and effectively dismantled the opposition – much to the jubilation of the travelling contingent up in Sedbergh.

This set up two games to secure a first Sedbergh Tens final for a Hampton side. But, unfortunate defeats against Seaford College and a strong Stamford side resulted in Hampton finishing just short of reaching the final.

The end of this competition marked the end of Hampton Rugby for the Upper Sixths boys.

The 2024-25 season was one of only a few lows and many highs, with an overall higher win percentage and many special moments made along the way. It was a fitting way to sign off seven years of Hampton Rugby for many of the Upper Sixth boys – they, and all of the squad – would like to thank Mr Beattie for all the time and effort he has put into supporting us, as well as all the coaches who have helped us over the years and the parents who have supported us along the way. Thomas Deedman, Xavier O’Donnell & William Squire

Second XV Rugby

The renowned Second XV enjoyed yet another successful season of rugby, with 11 games played and 9 wins.

The squad started strongly in September, with a tough away fixture against a skilful KCS Wimbledon side. Ollie ‘G-Boy’ Gellately pulled the strings beautifully at flyhalf and controlled the game well, kicking us into the right areas of the pitch to execute our gameplan. Expert distribution and sniping from the base by the talented and up-andcoming Lower Sixth, Sam Vowles, helped us secure a 35-21 win.

A brilliant start to the season after a gruelling but productive pre-season.

Following on from this, the Second XV moved on strongly to play our first home game of the season against Brighton College – typically a competitive fixture.

Nevertheless, after going down 7 points, the Second XV did not let heads go down and managed to pull back dominant 31 points to record an impressive win of 31-7. Fearless defence from Louis Wright and James Stanworth helped us to not concede as we added the points onto the scoreboard.

Campion School was next; we earnt a strong 24-17 win, aided by massive carries from Monty ‘Leg Drive’ Nendick

RGS High Wycombe followed next with another win, giving the squad a 100% win-rate for our first 4 games.

During this game, a Hampton Second XV record was set, of 4 tries within 10 minutes. This was down to Second XV legend, Alfie ‘Gammon’ Amor, who scored a hat-trick on the wing – before unfortunately retiring from rugby a few games later. Additionally, Omar Khan’s interception and lightning pace must not be forgotten, which helped contribute to an impressive 41-28 win.

Following on from this great start to the season, the team recorded an unfortunate loss against Seaford College, which acted as a stepping stone and important lesson as we head into our next game.

After the Seaford loss, was St Benedict’s School, in which we saw off the visitors with a strong performance and 70-0 victory. Tries from Sam Randles, Will Youster, and Robbie Ker helped to secure this.

To conclude the first half of term, we recorded an impressive away victory against the Halliford School First XV side. A large bump-off from Amulya Thapa before dotting the ball down over the line was a particular highlight and aided the scoreline of 29-10.

Moving into the second half of term, we unfortunately saw some cancelled games due to inclement weather.

A notable upset was our cancellation against Whitgift, known as the ‘Gift’ by Mr Moore, who quite frankly ‘did not want the smoke’.

Regardless, fuelled by energy gels and Mr Moore’s motivation, we went on to secure impressive wins against the John Fisher School and Trinity School, with our hot-stepper, and loyal Upper Sixth leader, Jack Shephard making a mockery of their backs before diving over the line.

The finale of the season was against Reeds School’s First XV on the hallowed Hampton pitches. In typical Second XV style, we played hard, fast and uncompromising rugby throughout the game and prevailed with a victory of 34-31. Quick feet from Toby Quigley and Dimi Mikas helped the squad push towards the win.

All in all, this was another very successful season for the Hampton Second XV as the ‘Mooreball’ gameplan, coaching, and style continues to develop players and bring in the results. The whole squad thoroughly enjoyed playing this fast paced, exciting, champagne rugby.

May ‘Mooreball’ continue to prevail in Hampton schoolboy Rugby. For the Upper Sixth leavers, we look forward to seeing the scoresheets next year.

Thank you and all the best for the 2025-26 season.

Gabe Salmassian & HSM

Third XV Rugby

Hampton’s Third XV can look back with pride on their results from the 2024-25 season.

They played twelve fixtures, won eleven, with a positive points difference of 202.

From the coach’s perspective, what was especially pleasing though was that the traditional manner of playing open, attractive and inclusive rugby in the Third XV was maintained and – in many aspects – progressed with the most recent crop of players.

Excitingly for next season, most of the squad were made up of talented Lower Sixth players – who should all be looking to play First or Second XV rugby next season.

However, it is more important to mention the Upper Sixth players who have shown exceptional commitment to Hampton rugby and who showed their quality and class as both players and individuals this season.

A special mention must therefore go to Ben J Williams, Ben L Williams, Alastair White, Eshan Mir, Luca Arnold and Alec Hamilton – thank you!

With regards to the results, as tradition dictates, we played fellow Third XVs in the autumn term, narrowly beating Brighton and Seaford College – alongside more convincing victories against Trinity and Campion.

The only loss of the season came against an undefeated and strong Cranleigh team; although we ended up on the wrong end of a 14-22 scoreline, the players raised their games on the day and in many respects put in their best performance of the season.

During the spring term, the good run of form continued; we played – and beat – several First teams, including Latymer Upper, Harrodian, Wilson’s, Radnor House, and Ibstock Place.

I would like to extend a thank you to Mr Beattie for his continued and excellent stewardship of the School rugby programme, and to all members of staff who give up their time to coach and take sports teams on a Saturday – it is an important part of our School, and one that personally brings me lots of joy and satisfaction.

The final word though must go to the leaving Upper Sixth players; thanks boys, it was a pleasure.

GKB

U16A Rugby

It was a real pleasure to coach this Year group again this season as the U16As. They approached every session with characteristic hard work, commitment, and good humour, and developed a great deal as a team.

Highlights in the 15-a-side part of the season included impressive wins against RGS High Wycombe, Trinity, Seaford, and a brilliantlyfought draw against Reading Blue Coat School.

The team benefited from a very good pack of forwards, led by a terrific set of props - Oliver Booth, Lucas Stynes-Tres, and Shivang Shukla The lineout continued as an area of real strength for the team, led by the ever-impressive Will Olsen, the all-conquering throwing of Cyril Bellamy and the brilliant jumping of Ollie Williams, whose tackling also continued to provide a constant threat to opposition teams.

Seb Habdank-Toczyski’s physicality throughout the season, and the development of his attacking game, ensured the back row rivalled any other School, and he was exceptionally well supported by Hayden Elliot and Seb Woods

In the backs, Stanley Amor and Harry Drewry combined to form an outstanding half-back pairing, often with Gabriel and Benjamin Williams in the centres – surely a rare sight in schoolboy rugby to see twins in the 12 and 13 shirts respectively! They combined superbly with back-three Lander Kauenhoven-Wrenn, Fraser Kerr and Tom Boardman to score a series of excellent tries.

Aiden Hughes and Jack Holden continued to support the team, whilst excelling as part of the First VIII, and were excellent additions in the cup competition.

In the VIIs season, amongst a number of impressive performances, the squad’s top four finish at Warwick was the highlight, including a fantastic victory over Millfield. Stanley Amor, Seb Habdank-Toczyski, Lander Kauenhoven-Wrenn, and Fraser Kerr led the way here, with their pace, fitness and physicality proving too much for opposition sides.

More broadly than individual matches, there are three reasons why I think this group of Hamptonians should be particularly proud of their efforts.

Firstly, the way new players – including Gabriel Williams, Harry Ellis, Seb Woods, and Jack Youster – were integrated into the team was superb. A number of players stepped up from the U15Bs and were supported all the way by their teammates.

As this cohort head into Senior Rugby, squad depth will be hugely important, and they will all benefit from the work that has gone on this year. No fewer than 25 players have played for the U16As.

Secondly, the way the team have approached the inevitable ups and downs of a rugby season should be applauded.

The team had some outstanding wins alongside some frustrating – and extremely narrow - defeats. Through all of that, they have never stopped working hard, and never stopped trying to improve.

I certainly do not underestimate how good that collective attitude is, very much led by the leadership group of Messrs Drewry, Olsen, Habdank-Toczyski and Amor.

Finally, and always the most important from my perspective, they continued to approach the game in the right way. Committed? Of course. A real hunger to win? Absolutely – and shared by their coaches! A desire to enjoy rugby alongside their friends? Never in doubt.

I am grateful for the positive way they have played their rugby; it has been wonderful to see.

Thanks, as always, should go to Mr Hall, Mr Beattie, Mr Mobbs-Smith, and Mr Hood for all they did throughout the season to push this group onto great things, as well as Hampton School’s grounds staff for providing such brilliant playing surfaces each week.

The group have a bright future as they head into Senior Rugby and I look forward to seeing how they progress.

RTS

U16B Rugby

Although on paper this term could be categorised as an unsuccessful one – due to a large number of difficult games and cancellations – the results do not do justice to the side.

A contributing factor to this was many injuries – in both the A and B teams – that left our team depleted of some key individuals. However, this did not quell the spirit of those who turned up to play; every game, even the most difficult, were hard-fought until the end.

We want to say a big thank you to all the players and coaches, and we hope that many will continue to enjoy rugby next year.

The U16B season started with a disappointing 10-19 loss against King’s College School, leaving a lot of room for improvement. Despite some good moments, including a Jack Youster try and a Harry Ellis penalty, a late length-of-the-field try gave King’s the game.

Although we built upon this loss and improved significantly over the subsequent weeks, a combination of injury and difficult opponents prevented a win for the next two games, with a 5-54 loss to Campion, and a 17-27 loss to Seaford College – a game characterised by some interesting kicking by Jacob Welch, which we ultimately could not convert.

We turned up to St Benedict’s, hoping to secure a win after a challenging start to the season. We won convincingly, beating them 52-12, with an impressive jumping catch and try from Ed Barkus, and strong running from the new centre Neel Mohindra

Sam Miller also converted the tries with aplomb as the team’s new fly-half.

Our next match was against Claremont Fan Court School’s Second XV, which we went in to expecting a hard match. We converted this focus into a tight 5-0 win – with an excellent close-range try from Basil Graham on his return from injury, alongside some helpful cameos from some of our own Third XV, including a length-of-the-field recovery tackle from Ben Williams!

After a restful half term break, we faced Trinity School, Croydon at home, hoping to continue our winning streak.

Although our gameplay was not faultless – and having been down in the match at numerous occasions – huge carries from Jacob Welch brought us back into the game.

Following a period of pressure, we managed to achieve an extremely close 39-38 win, with a glorious overtime penalty kick by Sam Miller – following a huge tackle by Luca Knowles!

Next, we faced a Cranleigh side that are amongst the strongest in the country, and we ended up suffering a 5-60 loss – although Freddie Champion’s power in defence was noteworthy.

This match truly showed us the ups and downs that come with playing sports, as we were still riding the high of the Trinity Croydon win the week before.

The 12-34 loss to Reading Blue Coat school that followed was disappointing, but was overshadowed by Adi Kumar’s neck injury – which unfortunately marked the end of his rugby season, despite him making a full recovery.

Our next game against St John’s – which was highly anticipated amongst the team due to a burning desire for redemption after a tough loss the year before – was unfortunately cancelled.

This resulted in a stand-in fixture against Turing House’s A team the following Wednesday. But, after starting well – with impressive performances by Tom Boardman at fly-half and a well-finished try from Shreyan Kottala – their strength and size prevailed. Hampton ultimately found themselves on the losing side: 17-48.

Finally, our spring term promised three good rugby matches; but, due to GCSE mocks, and poor weather, two of the three games got cancelled, leaving only a lacklustre 12-50 loss against John Fisher to mark the end of the season.

However, this season has been a good round-off for two years of excellent rugby under the leadership of Mr Hall. The team has played fantastically and with spirit over this past two years and has shown huge improvements both individually and as a whole.

We are all excited for Senior rugby and intensely hopeful for the seasons to come!

We want to thank the coaches who gave up their time to help us improve week on week and to also thank all those who turned up consistently to training and made playing in this team such an enjoyable experience.

We wish all the best of luck for next year and hope to see as many people as possible continue to enjoy rugby in the School’s top three XVs.

Alessio Carraretto & Joshie Huntley

It has been an absolute pleasure being your coach over the course of the last two years. To the best of my reckoning, 32 different players have played for either the U15s or the U16Bs – which demonstrates the great strength in the squad.

Whilst the U16 season may not have been as successful as the U15 season, there are real positives to take from this year. You more than matched some of the toughest B teams in the country and managed to score at least one try in every match that you played.

Personally, I have enjoyed every single training session with you, and – whilst you can be an exasperating bunch sometimes, particularly when it can come to tackling! – I have never enjoyed working with such a great bunch of lads as much.

Congratulations also to our end of season award-winners: Back of the Year, Luca Knowles; Forward of the Year, Freddie Champion; Most Improved Player, Ed Barkus; Clubman, Joshie Huntley; and Coach’s Player, Sam Miller ARH

U15A Rugby

The U15A rugby season was a challenging but rewarding journey, as we tested ourselves against many top-tier schools that pushed us to raise our level each week.

Along the way we grew closer as a squad, training regularly both on and off the pitch, and saw our hard work pay off with three very strong wins against St Benedict’s (50-19), Claremont (59-5), and Halliford (48-5).

Those victories were a real highlight, demonstrating what we are capable of when we play with confidence, focus, and belief in each other.

Our rugby sevens chapter was a standout one in the season.

We opened at John Fisher 7s, where we played with confidence and reached the semi-finals – before a narrow loss to Brighton College. At Warwick 7s, we carried that form into the group stages, topping our pool. Unfortunately, we were then knocked out by the hosts in the quarter-finals.

Surrey 7s was a particular highlight for us as a side; we went unbeaten in all five group matches, then displayed one of our strongest performances of the year to beat Cranleigh School 19-14 in the quarter-finals.

This victory saw us facing Cranmore School in the semi-finals – where, unfortunately, we lost 17-12. Although we fell just one try short, finishing third out of more than fifty schools was a huge achievement and reflected how far we had come as a team.

Overall, our 15s season helped build the resilience and teamwork that fuelled our strong performances during the 7s season; together, they showed how much we have grown as a squad and how much potential we have going forward.

Thank you to our coaches and parents for their support along the way – and we hugely look forward to next season!

Kian Windley

U14A Rugby

The U14A rugby season has brought two powerful emotions: joy and disappointment. We faced some of the best rugby sides from all across London and pushed ourselves to the limit in each of our matches.

Our 15s season may not have been one of our best; however, along with some of the gruelling losses we had to endure, there were a huge number of games where, as a Year Group, we displayed our talent and hard work.

One specific match comes to mind: Hampton versus Reading Blue Coat. This match clearly demonstrated how, when we came together as a team, we had the capacity to be a very good side.

We had built a solid lead at the beginning of the game. We decided to hold off as we could not sustain the levels of intensity that we had hit to that point; but, instead of furthering our lead, we our defence was tested. It rose to the occasion. It was our best performance all season: there was not a single broken tackle, and we worked together to prevent them from scoring.

This match was just one of many well-executed performances we enjoyed over the course of the season.

Sevens

Next term, the 7s season came around; along with it came many tournaments and many opportunities to prove ourselves.

Hampton students are renowned for their intelligence and witty personalities – or, at least, we like to think so; as seven-aside rugby is primarily skill-based, we knew we this was a format in which we could really shine. And we did!

We won many games and suffered with few loses, once again proving our skillsets and ability.

Finally, the Rosslyn Park National 7s came around: the world-famous school tournament, including schools from Dubai, Wales, Scotland, and even America.

Our first two games were won with ease, beating both teams by comfortable scorelines. In our last game, we backed off somewhat; we thought we could win with that bit less effort. However, we were swiftly proven wrong; the match ended with a disappointing score line of 26-0 to the opposition.

Overall, we had our ups and downs, highs and lows; but it was a fantastic and hugely enjoyable season. As a squad, we cannot wait for next season – bring it on!

Thank you to our coaches and to our parents for all of their time and support over the course of the season.

Archie Skinner

U13A Rugby

The U13As endured a rough and intensely challening season this year, with only two wins and seven losses in the 15s seasons.

Our wins were against Claremont Fan Court and Radnor House. Stand-out performances in the victory against Claremont were Pablo Bertolin Rey and Oscar Gilbert, deserving mention here.

We had a lot more success in the sevens portion of the season, winning the Ibstock and Surrey tournaments – going undefeated. We also came second in the St John’s Beaumont tournament, losing only in the final to an outstanding side. Particular credit for their amazing efforts on the day and in the sevens season goes to Christian Oates and Aaron Janoo in the semi-final.

However, despite our high hopes for the National Sevens tournament at Roslyn Park, we only managed to win one match; but, there was plenty to learn from the fantastic experience and overall season of rugby.

Overall, it was a good effort this season, and we cannot wait for next! Thank you to our coaches for their time, and thank you to the parents who came to support us.

Magnus O’Leary

U13B Rugby

It was an action-packed season for the U13Bs – full of growth, grit, and some brilliant team performances.

What has stood out this year is not just how much the boys have developed individually, but how well they have bonded as a team –showing real resilience, determination, and sportsmanship every time they stepped onto the pitch.

George McElhinney, Asher Connor, and Naivedya Agarwal were

consistently reliable in the front row, showing real progress in their scrummaging technique.

Ali Shirinbekov played a few games and showed a willingness to get stuck in.

Kabir Tuteja played in both in the front row and second row, providing strength in set-pieces. In the second row, Jaibir Gill and Akshaj Gupta were industrious throughout, providing energy and presence in the tight gaining ground in the loose with powerful carries.

Charlie Frank started the season in the backs, converting to the second row towards the end of the season; he deserves much credit for the seamless adaptation.

Druett joined the team from football late in the season and made an immediate impact: tenacious in the tackle, quick to learn, and a real handful in the loose. Definitely one to watch next year!

Xander Lindsay showed his versatility, playing at 8 and in the front row – fearless with ball in hand, a reliable tackler, and a menace at the breakdown. It is easy to imagine him developing into a classic openside flanker in the years ahead.

Scrum-half and captain, Eliott Parker, kept the tempo high, with sharp passing; his eye for a gap kept opposition defences guessing. Outside him, Jamie Roblin showed composure and creativity wherever he played in the backs; he has an excellent understanding of the game. Already a beautifully balanced runner, he will go from strength to strength as he develops physically.

Alex Pheasant made a real impact in the backs and stepped up well when asked to bring his attacking flair to play at fly-half.

In the centres, Dan Ellis proved a dependable presence – strong in contact and tactically astute – while hard-running Atharv Joshi covered both centre and 8 with a great blend of physicality and awareness.

Out wide, Tanish Kondamuri was a genuine speed merchant, lighting up the field with his acceleration; he is undoubtedly another one to watch as he gains further experience in the game.

Benny Ryan, always a physical presence, was solid in both attack and defence. Ethan Wang, Ilakian Dhandapanil, and Alexander Bubb all came into the side as relative newcomers to rugby and made excellent progress – growing in confidence and gaining valuable experience every time they played.

Ethan Sharma-Wadeson stood out at full-back – often as the last line of defence but also as a brilliant counter-attacker with a safe pair of hands.

Highlight of the season? A well-deserved 25-10 away win at Reed’s, where everything clicked.

The forwards dominated up front, the backs ran some superb lines, and the defence held strong under pressure. It was a brilliant reflection of the team’s development and collective spirit!

There were memorable performances throughout the season, but what will stay with me most is how this team never gave up – whether chasing down a lost cause or backing each other in defence, they played for each other and wore the shirt with pride.

Well done, boys; this was an excellent season and a fantastic foundation for the years ahead.

PST

Cricket

First XI Cricket

The First XI began their cricket with a pre-season tour to Barbados. A packed itinerary with cricket, sight-seeing, and swimming with turtles left all the players and coaches with wonderful lifetime memories.

The main standouts in the cricket included Raph Taylor, picking up 7 wickets – including 3-3 off 5 overs in one game – Ollie Hamilton, with an unbeaten 82* at the Kensington oval to chase down 290 against the Barbados Select XI, and captain Anuj Srivastav, striking 212 runs at an average of 53.

In the first game of the English summer, the boys took on the MCC in a timed declaration match. The return of Ollie Gellatley was a welcome one, and he picked up the first wicket of the day.

Ollie Davies continued his fine form from tour, as he clean bowled MCC’s Number 3. Another wicket from Hugo Knowles left the score 70-3.

However, a great innings from the MCC No.4 saw MCC declare on 232.

Natty Taylor and Knowles started well, with Taylor calmly going to 41. Unfortunately, some experienced MCC bowling picked up wickets at key points in the chase.

This left Will Wallace at 7, who smashed his way to an entertaining 55 off 35 balls. While the knock was not in a winning cause, it gave Wallace the ‘spirit of cricket’ award, and plenty of confidence going into the season.

Looking to bounce back, the team travelled away to Merchant Taylor’s for their only T20 of the year. Historically a close fixture, the boys knew they needed to be on their top game.

After winning the toss on a gloomy day, skipper Srivastav chose to bowl. It took no time at all for Taylor to get use of

the bowling friendly conditions, picking up a wicket in his first over.

The star of the bowling innings was undoubtedly Will Youster, who picked up 3 wickets – including that of their contracted Middlesex Second XI batsman.

With help from Ollie Hamilton and Srivastav, Hampton kept MTS to 129.

Some tight bowling from MTS kept Hampton on the back foot, early in the chase. However, Ollie Hamilton confidently stepped up and lead with 50 off 36 balls. Still, with Hampton needing 45 from the last 4 overs, it needed a miracle.

Enter Harry Gregory and Will Youster, who smashed the death bowling around for 20 off 12 balls and 15 off 9 balls respectively, to bring Hampton home with 3 balls to spare.

After the high of Merchant Taylor’s, the boys took on Tiffin at home. Typically, they have proved an easier opposition, but never one to be complacent with.

A 50 partnership from Taylor and Knowles gave Hampton a solid platform, Taylor going on to 45 before being caught. James Eggleton anchored the innings for Hampton, with a slow and composed 54. He and Taylor lifted Hampton to 234.

Knowing that the total could be chase-able, the bowling unit would need a strong start. Davies and Gellatley did exactly that, taking two wickets a-piece, removing Tiffin’s top order to leave them 46-5.

Their number 3 attempted to dig Tiffin out of the hole, with a decent 68; but, he could not escape from the in-form Will Youster, who picked up another three wickets, driving Hampton home to a comfortable, 100-run win.

Looking to continue in the same fashion, the team travelled to North London to take on the difficult rivals of Harrow.

After winning the toss and batting first, the top order made another positive start, getting to 90-1, with Taylor leading the way with 47.

However, some skilful bowling from Harrow’s leg-spinner left a tough task for Maddox Dakin and the tail end. After some strong fight from the keeper batsman, Hampton ended on 161.

Knowing that the score was below par, the openers once again, made the most of the new cherry, with Gellatley taking the first, and Joe Perry, on debut, picking up one as well. The spinners chipped away at Harrow’s middle order; but, ultimately, the total was too low to defend, and Harrow took a 4-wicket victory.

After a disappointing result at Harrow, the boys bounced back two days later against Dulwich. Gellatley once again led the charge, with a double-wicket maiden in his first over, reducing Dulwich to 3-2.

Another tight bowling performance from Hampton left Dulwich 201-7 off their 50 – the wickets shared around.

With the skipper out with illness – particularly regrettably on his birthday – Dakin showed that he was up to the task at 3, as he and Knowles steered Hampton to 93-3 at tea.

With the game in the balance, Eggleton and Hamilton came to the crease and batted fluidly in an unbeaten 130-run stand – 52* and 65* respectively – to bring us over the line with 5 overs to go.

With exam season in full flow, a couple of changes were made ahead of Reeds; two Fourth Years, Ollie Khaksar and Ashton Crossley, made their debuts.

After being put into bat, Reeds made a slow, but solid start against Hampton. Youster and Taylor came to the rescue with Taylor picking up the first, and Youster bagging the next three – including a sharp stumping from the debutant Crossley.

Despite an innovative knock from Reed’s number 3, the boys held Reed’s to 234.

Needing a good start in the chase, the openers went off like a rocket, taking 64 for no loss from the power play.

After the 77-run stand was ended, Knowles and Srivastav came together, and Knowles registered his first 50 of the season. The partnership ended abruptly, leaving 95 to win. It did not take long for captain Srivastav to go into his element, adding to his extensive 50 count before releasing the shoulders and sending the Reed’s bowlers to all parts. He ended on 89*, as Hampton chased down 235 in 44 overs.

Hampton travelled to Brighton College for yet another thrilling contest at a picturesque cricket ground.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the First XI piled on an impressive 289-6 from 50 overs.

Knowles made 40, skipper Srivastav 54, and Hamilton 54, before a late surge from Richard Page (48*) and Fourth Year Ashton Crossley (41 off 22) set a commanding total.

In defence, wickets fell steadily; but, one Brighton batter stood firm with a superb 131.

With the game delicately poised at 90 needed from 12 overs with five wickets in hand, Knowles produced a devastating spell at the death, taking a hat-trick on his way to 5-35. His brilliance sealed a 35-run win and etched his name on the honours board once more.

After two cancellations against Eton and St Paul’s, Hampton next faced King’s College School, Wimbledon.

Stand-in captain Knowles won the toss and chose to field, and our bowlers thrived on a green Hampton wicket. KCS were dismissed for 146, with the Taylor brothers sharing the spoils: Natty taking two and Raph three.

Knowles then anchored the chase with a fluent 41, with William Wallace scoring an unbeaten 19* and A. Crossley scoring a rapid 26, as Hampton eased home by five wickets.

Following that comfortable victory, Hampton hosted RGS Guildford, and, after winning the toss, chose to bat.

Natty Taylor led the way with a superb 71, supported by Gregory (29*) and Srivastav (27), as Hampton reached 231-9.

Gellatley struck twice early to leave RGS reeling at 8-2. And, when Taylor ripped through the middle order with four wickets, Hampton looked in control.

Yet, the visitors’ lower order fought hard, bringing the target within sight. With 10 needed from the final two overs, Perry held his nerve to take the last wicket – thanks to a fine catch from Srivastav – and Hampton sealed a memorable 10-run win in one of the season’s tightest finishes.

At home to Winchester College, Hampton finally won the toss and opted to field.

From the very first over, the hosts dominated. Hamilton bowled a truly magical spell of 5-19 to get his name added to the prestigious honours board, ably supported by Pande’s 2-7, dismissing Winchester for just 66.

Although the chase wobbled briefly, Natty Taylor’s 23* ensured a comfortable five-wicket victory and a performance worthy of the record books.

The annual Old Hamptonians match followed, with familiar faces returning to face the First XI.

Openers Knowles (46) and Taylor (66) shared a fine 93-run stand; but, once again, a middle-order collapse restricted Hampton to 219-8 from 50 overs, with Youster (28*) and Oli Lacey (19*) offering late runs.

In reply, the OHs’ top order proved too strong, with Matthew Moffatt (OH 2023) and Josh Vergunst (OH 2024) both hitting fifties, and Guy Harper (OH 2012) adding another half-century, as the alumni secured a five-wicket win.

The final Saturday block fixture was against Whitgift – one of Hampton’s toughest rivals.

Srivastav chose to bowl first and Hamilton struck early with two wickets. Regular breakthroughs followed, but sloppy fielding allowed Whitgift to reach 228 – Hamilton finishing with 4-51 and Youster 2-38.

Hampton’s chase faltered, with only Srivastav’s composed half-century and Gellatley’s season-best 33* offering resistance, as Hampton slipped to a 57-run defeat.

As the season neared its close, Hampton hosted three strong touring sides during Cricket Week: Newcastle Academy, Mumbai MCC U19, and St Kevin’s College.

Against Newcastle, Hampton bowled first in scorching heat. Spin proved decisive. Srivastav led with 4-36, supported by Reilly (2-8), Raff Taylor (2-4), and Youster (2-21), as the tourists were dismissed for 108.

Srivastav (50*) and Knowles (36) then guided Hampton to an eight-wicket win.

The following day brought a tough test against Mumbai MCC U19. Batting first in a rain-reduced 40-over match, Hampton posted 208, built on contributions from Srivastav (41), Dakin (35), Crossley (29) and Khaksar (28). The tourists, however, batted with great power, and despite Youster’s two wickets, raced to a five-wicket victory.

The final game of the season, against St Kevin’s College, carried extra significance as the ‘Last Dance’ for our Upper Sixth leavers.

Batting first, Hampton produced a fine team performance. Srivastav lit up his farewell innings with a sparkling 52 from just 26 balls, Dakin made his maiden First XI fifty with 59, and Hamilton added 51, taking Hampton to 241 in 40 overs.

The bowlers then rose to the occasion one final time, reducing St Kevin’s to 99-4, before a superb 98 from one batsman revived the chase.

Wickets from Taylor (2-35), Gellatley (2-29) and Hamilton (2-42) kept Hampton ahead. With 12 needed from the final over, Knowles held his nerve. A run-out sealed victory by seven runs, providing a fitting end to both the match and the season.

Hampton concluded the 2025 season with 10 wins and 4 defeats, excluding the Barbados tour. The leading run-scorer was captain Anuj Srivastav, who amassed 394 runs, including a top score of 89* against Reeds. He was closely followed by Hugo Knowles with 331, while both Natty Taylor and Ollie Hamilton contributed 271 apiece.

The leading wicket-taker was skilled leg-spinner Will Youster, who claimed 15 wickets at an average of 12.66, just ahead of the consistent Natty Taylor with 14. Hamilton, Gellatley, and Knowles all finished with 12 wickets – highlights including Knowles’ dramatic hat-trick and Hamilton’s outstanding 5-fer against Winchester college.

Special mention must also go to Fifth Year Joe Perry, who impressed in his debut season with the First XI, and to leaver Ollie Davies, who bowled with great accuracy and composure.

Finally, on behalf of all players, heartfelt thanks go to Director of Cricket, Mr Banerjee, and to Mr Parrish for their dedication and guidance throughout the season; as ever, they helped to make 2025 such an immensely enjoyable and successful one for Hampton cricket.

Anuj Srivastav & Hugo Knowles

Senior Cricket Barbados Tour

The Hampton First XI cricket team went on their biennial cricket tour over the Easter holidays, their destination: Barbados. Despite the long flight, the journey passed quickly with the 18-strong squad eagerly anticipating the exciting Caribbean experience that lay ahead.

Hit immediately with 30°C heat, day one was acclimatisation training at Franklyn Stephenson Academy. A productive yet tiring session left the team prepared and excited for the seven matches they would play over the following days. The acclimatisation session was followed by a party bus tour of the island, giving the team an amazing opportunity to soak up the full Bajan experience: extraordinary scenery, a rich history, and an introduction to the country’s vibrant music and cultural scene!

Day two saw the First XI kick off their 2025 season in earnest with two T20s against Barbados Women. Playing against a high-quality opposition, including West Indies women internationals, Hampton displayed excellent performances in both matches; impressive batting from Will Wallace with 41*(21) in the first match, and Richard Page with 51rtd(29) and Will Youster with the ball (3-8) in the second steering Hampton to two convincing victories. An amazing day was capped off with the team meeting Jason Holder, former Windies Cricket Captain, at the ground. Hampton’s next fixture was a day-night white ball game under floodlights against Isolation Cavaliers U21s.

A true Caribbean experience awaited the squad as the match was accompanied by music, live commentary, and a barbecue. The tourists, bowling first, knocked over the Cavaliers for only 72 thanks to two outstanding spells from Raphael Taylor, 5-3-4-3. As the sun set,

Hampton faltered in the chase with quick wickets falling at the start, the team were left reeling at 25-5. A watchful partnership between James Eggleton (27*) and Ollie Hamilton (14) got the visitors to within striking distance of the target, and Hampton eventually got over the line with two wickets to spare.

Match day three, the last before a much-needed rest day, was a 50-over red ball game between Hampton and Grantly Adam’s School. Hampton opted to bat first in the 30°C heat, a trial of concentration and stamina awaited their batters. Nat Taylor and Captain Anuj Srivastav rose to the challenge, scoring 65rtd and 51rtd respectively; this set a strong platform for Hampton’s middle order. Cameos from Hugo Knowles (28) and Olly Spray (33) propelled the visitors to 297 off their 50 overs. An impressive batting performance was matched by yet another strong display from the bowling attack, with both Youster and Raphael Taylor recording identical figures of 5-1-10-3, as the home side fell 200 runs short of their target.

After a rest day spent at the Boatyard Beach Club in Bridgetown, the team was ready for their toughest challenge yet: a 50 over day-night game against Legacy Cricket Academy (LCA) at the University of West Indies Cricket Stadium. Fielding first, another hot and tiring day awaited. The team fought valiantly to restrict LCA to 310 on a flat pitch with spinners Natty Taylor and Zaid Ahmed both taking two key wickets. Special mention should also go to wicketkeepers Oli Lacey and Maddox Dakin with very tidy displays in challenging conditions.

Unfortunately, the chase proved too much for the tourists who fell 100 runs short of their target. However, much credit is due to Hampton’s

top order, particularly Srivastav, who braved a fiery bowling attack under the lights, dubbed the ‘best bowling attack in Barbados’; he scored a scintillating 60, albeit in vain.

Hampton returned to winning ways with a convincing victory over Pickwick CC. A tough wicket (a rarity in Barbados) left Hampton struggling; five wickets had fallen without any meaningful partnerships. It would be James Stanworth who delivered an explosive 49 (41) and a steadying 40 from Hamilton that propelled Hampton up to 180, a competitive score.

With overcast and cool conditions, Hampton’s bowlers may have sensed some familiarity in the setting and, as always, were straight into their work. Seamers Ed Reilly and Aaryan Desai combined in an impressive opening spell, dispatching Pickwick’s top order with figures of 4-1-7-1 and 4-0-15-3 respectively. Hampton made quick work of Pickwick’s middle order and tail, with two wickets apiece for Knowles, Ahmed, and Youster, bowling the hosts out for 70.

Then came the climax of the tour. The final game, the toughest game, on the biggest stage of them all, walking in the footsteps of cricketing legends: Lara, Root, Kohli, Ponting, Kallis, and more; the final game was at the Kensington Oval against the Barbados Select XI. Hampton bowled first on a green top wicket, and opening bowlers Hamilton and Ollie Davies restricted Barbados and pressured the batting side. Nevertheless, Barbados showed their class and depth, accelerating

from 120 off 30 overs to 200 from 42. A tight death overs spell from Knowles gave Hampton the momentum in the final ten overs, taking three wickets from the Malcom Marshall End, including a wicket thanks to a breath-taking catch by Page on the boundary rope – a world class catch befitting of the phenomenal venue.

Hampton required 290 to win. A challenging opening spell from Barbados’ quicks left Hampton in danger, on only 24 runs for the loss of two wickets. However, a crucial 80-run partnership between Srivastav (45) and Eggleton took Hampton through the new ball and established a foothold in the chase. Eggleton and Hamilton continued to close in on the target, taking Hampton through the middle overs and into a strong position by the 32nd over. With Eggleton retired on 50 runs, the baton was handed to Stanworth and Thomas Tabor to counterattack alongside Hamilton. Stanworth scored 18 off 11, with Tabor bludgeoning 34 off 20, both placing the Barbados bowlers into the stands on multiple occasions. Finally, it was Hamilton, who finished on an outstanding 82*, and the new batter Spray who knocked off the final ten runs with three overs to spare, with Spray sealing the deal with an emphatic one-bounce four.

Hampton had triumphed with an historic victory. It was the perfect way to end what had been an amazing tour for all and an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thank you to Mr Banerjee, Mr Parrish, and Mr Mills for their hard work and generosity in planning, organising, and managing the tour.

Second XI Cricket

The Hampton School Second XI Cricket squad enjoyed a very good 2025 season, playing 9, winning 7, and losing 2.

It was to be expected that the season following the unbeaten campaign in 2024 was going to be a difficult act to follow! This year’s squad acquitted themselves well, nonetheless, especially since the Second XI team was significantly less ‘settled’ than it had been in 2024; a total of 35 players were called upon to play in 2025 compared with 21 pupils in 2024.

The wicket-keeping duties in 2025 were shared by Oliver Lacey and Ram Kolanu They both proved to be reliable and consistent ‘behind the sticks’. After dedicated and assiduous training at the indoor nets from January 2025, until the start of the outdoor season, all players were ready to hit the ground running.

Several of those who played were also lucky enough to go on the Senior Cricket squad tour to Barbados, in April 2025, for 10 days.

A resounding victory by 154 runs over local rivals Tiffin School started off the season in the grand manner, with Olly Spray contributing a hard-hit 80 runs, supported by Richard Page (64). Tiffin School’s batting subsided tamely to 88 all out, with Zaid Ahmed taking a remarkable five wickets for 7 runs off his five overs!

We then hosted Harrow Second XI, for what we always knew would be a difficult encounter.

Our total, batting first, of 133 for 8 wickets off 30 overs seemed below-par at the time – and

so it proved to be, as Harrow eclipsed this total to win by 4 wickets. Only Thomas Tabor (31), Ed Reilly (25 not out) and Rohan Veraitch (21) got a start at the crease, but none of them – unfortunately – went on to post a match-winning innings. Zaid Ahmed was once again the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets for 26 runs.

A visit to Dulwich College followed, where again the Hampton batting came to the fore. Richard Page (34) and Zaid Ahmed (33) both batted well to accumulate a challenging total of 170 all out. Three wickets apiece for Nicholas Avetoom and Adhrit Pande ensured a comfortable 43 run win for Hampton.

Two further consecutive victories ensued before half-term, against Reed’s School and Brighton College, by similar margins.

At Reed’s, Fourth Year pupil Sanjit Baber held the innings together with a watchful 40 runs, supported by Xavier Knowles (32 not out) and Nicholas Avetoom (25 not out). A total of 176 for 7 proved to be 16 runs too many for the Reed’s batters to chase.

A 14-run victory then followed against Brighton College, with the two Rohans – Muktieh (72) and Prabhudesai (33) –being the chief architects of Hampton’s total of 193 for 6 off 30 overs. They were more than ably supported by Aaryan Desai’s well-struck 39 not out.

Ben Moffatt was undoubtedly the player of the match in the seven-wicket victory at KCS Wimbledon, with his three wickets for 22 runs from 6.2 overs being followed by his flowing innings of 65 runs with the bat. He

received excellent support from both Rohan Muktieh (28) and Ram Kolanu who finally found form with the bat to finish with an invaluable 30 not out.

Playing away against RGS Guildford, at their beautifully appointed Bradstone Brook Sports Ground, Hampton scored a total of 211 for 6 off 30 overs. William Youster’s excellent, undefeated 52 runs provided the required acceleration towards the end of the 30 overs, with the earlier part of the innings having been held together by James Stanworth (34) and, again(!), Rohan Muktieh (47).

RGS were finally bowled out some 120 runs short of the Hampton total, mainly by Ollie Davies (with three for 15) and Raphael Taylor’s excellent four wicket haul for 12 runs (off 4.3 overs).

We then played Eton College Second XI at home: Ollie Davies (three wickets for 28 runs) and Harry Gregory (four wickets for 25 runs) dismantled the visitors’ batting for 128 all out. Ben Moffatt (50 not out) and Olly Spray (74) both remained unbeaten at the close of play to guide Hampton to a most emphatic victory by the margin of 10 wickets.

Alas, our second defeat of the season followed away at Whitgift School in Croydon, after Hampton had failed to make use of a fast outfield and good batting conditions.

A total of 165 for 8 wickets off 30 overs was always going to be some 20 or 30 runs too ‘light’, as Rohan Muktieh (24), Ollie Davies (29), Zaid Ahmed (23) and Aaryan Desai (31 not out) all looked comfortable at the wicket, but nobody could go on to produce the more substantial score needed to guide us to a total closer to 200.

Despite the brave efforts of our bowlers, with Raphael Taylor being the best of the bunch with his three wickets for 26 runs, Whitgift comfortably ‘crossed the line’ with the loss of seven wickets…and with almost six overs to spare!

All that remains is to thank Messrs Trivedi, Banerjee, Harrison, Haynes, and Parrish for their support, encouragement, good humour and expertise throughout the 2025 season.

Also, as always, we are grateful to the loyal band of parents whose support was most welcome throughout an enjoyable season for Hampton School Second XI Cricket.

AFE

U17 Cricket

ECB National Competition Squad

Hampton faced Shiplake College in round one. Hampton batted first and scored 237 for two in 30 overs with James Eggleton and Rohan Veraitch playing superb innings of 87 runs (86 balls) and 74 runs not out (61 balls).

James Stanworth opened the innings and scored an impactful 32 runs off 30 balls.

Shiplake College was all out for 60 runs with some disciplined bowling. Adhrit Pandey finished the day with 3 for 1 from his two overs.

In the second round, Hampton travelled to Harrow School again –after their previous game was called off in the second innings. Losing the toss, Hampton were asked to bat first. Richard Page (78) and Ashton Crossley (38) set about the bowling with real aggression, putting on a century stand for the third wicket.

Late cameos by Rohan Paul Muktieh (24 off 18 balls) and Sanjit Baber (20 off 16 balls) pushed Hampton to an imposing 203-8 off their 35 overs.

In reply, Harrow came back strongly, but were all out for 180 after another great display of team effort in the field and an outstanding bowling spell from Hampton Captain, Zaid Ahmed, who took 4 wickets for 27 runs. Harrow finally ended the game 23 runs short.

In round three, Hampton hosted Kings College Wimbledon in a local derby.

On a dry surface, Ed Reilly (3-16) led the bowling attack, restricting KCS to 115 all out from their 35 overs.

In reply, Hampton were nine down after an impressive innings from Ashton Crossley (51 runs off 44 balls). With 10 runs required in two overs, Zaid Ahmed and Xavier Knowles took Hampton over the line to win a nail-biting game.

In the quarter-final, Hampton were fortunate to get a home draw and hosted Bedes.

Hampton decided to bat first. After an early collapse, Hampton managed to score 135 in 35 overs, with Rohan Paul Muktieh’s patient 32 off 47 balls and some late hitting from Xavier Knowles (14 off 10 balls).

In reply, Bedes got off to a flying start – well above the required rate – but a series of wickets fell after a brilliant display of tactical bowling from Joe Perry (4-20) and Adhrit Pandey (3-26) stopped Bedes reaching their target. Bedes were finally all out for 125.

It was another thrilling finish and great win for Hampton. Hampton were into the semi-finals!

In the semi-final, Hampton travelled to Somerset to face Millfield School. Millfield won the toss and decided to bat first in humid conditions. Early wickets for Hampton and some disciplined bowling restricted the scoring, with Raphael Taylor (2-12) and the rest of the wickets were shared among the bowlers.

At the innings break, Millfield had posted a decent 211-8 from their 35 overs.

Hampton set about the total in positive fashion, with James Stanworth

(37), Ollie Khaksar (36) targeting the initial powerplay. Having put on 70 for the first wicket, Hampton then slowly coasted home to record a 5-wicket win – with 4 overs to spare – after a brilliant innings from Ashton Crossley 87 no. off 55 balls, with eight boundaries and five sixes.

It was an excellent effort from all players to win this tough game and reach the final for the first time.

Hampton travelled to Birmingham to face Rugby School in the final.

Hampton batted first and put a brilliant batting display, with James Stanworth (55 runs) and Oliver Khaksar’s (38 runs) opening partnership of 78 for the first wicket setting the tone.

Ashton Crossley (65 runs off 42 balls), Rohan Paul Muktieh (6 off 20 balls), and James Eggleton (27no off 8 balls) took Hampton to a decent 241runs for 6 wickets in 35 overs.

An wicket for Hampton in the first ball – and some disciplined bowling – restricted Rugby to 149-7 in 24 overs; but, some late power-hitting from their lower-order batsmen took them to two runs to win in the last ball. Rohan Paul Muktieh’s – Man of the Match – clever final ball took Rugby to 241 runs for 8 wickets in 35 overs.

With the match tied, Hampton won on fewer number of wickets lost – National Cup champions!

“It was a great team effort where everyone in the squad has contributed to the success along the way winning against some tough schools – a perfect reward for their hard work and end the 2025 season!”

AMB

U15A Cricket

The U15As record reads exceptionally well; they played 12, won 8, and lost only 4.

This was a hugely enjoyable and progressive year for the U15A class of 2025. This was a side which was always fully committed and focused, which made each and every match a pleasure to watch.

The quality of the team was highlighted by their appearance in the T20 regional finals – and the fact that four of the team were an integral part of the U17 National Champions side as well.

The U15 fixture list is of the highest quality, so the strength in depth was highlighted by the fact that ever single player made meaningful contributions – even when the First XI required three or four players the wins kept coming.

All of the boys can be proud of their efforts – and the fact that they developed as cricketers and as team mates.

Sanjt Baber (Captain)

Sanjt enjoyed a very impressive all-round season and is an impressive all-round cricketer. Whilst he did not score the weight of runs he would have liked, the innings against Tiffin and Whitgift showed his class. His leg-spin bowling was outstanding – which is reflected in his status as joint-top wicket-taker (15) with an average of 9.6. He was always keen to have the ball when the opposition’s best players were in – something which makes his end of season stats even more impressive!

His fielding is always lively and showed his level of commitment. He captained the side in a calm, knowledgeable, skilful and increasingly confident way.

Highlight of the season: a classy 47 against a strong Whitgift side –or anytime he ripped a perfect leg spinner past a helpless batter.

Will Bush

This was a really pleasing year of progress for a highly versatile cricketer. Will batted in the top order and middle order, and he bowled both pace and spin – the perfect team player.

He developed a greater understanding of his batting, which meant he was able to adapt his batting style as the match situation required; this was highlighted in the equally successful, but very different, innings against Brighton College – a creative 25 – and Eton – an aggressive 31. He can easily bowl medium pace, but, with his blonde hair and fizzing leg-spinner, maybe his future will be as the next S K Warne!

Highlight of the season: a last over dance down the wicket and effortless clip for six against Whitgift when the game was in the balance, leading to a famous last-ball victory.

Ashton Crossley

This was an outstanding year for Ashton; he went from a player of impressive shots to a regular match-winner. His undoubted power and stroke-play developed alongside a desire – and ability – to stay at the crease for longer periods. His eight innings yielded 401 runs and an average of 50.13 – which is easily the best season performance by an U15A batter in the last 10 years.

His wicket-keeping is also worthy of a mention in a long hot summer – during which he spent many overs in the middle.

Highlight of the season: the cup win versus Reigate Grammar where he smashed 124 on a lively wicket and decent bowling attack. This ignited the rest of the season where he performed brilliantly for the U15As, U17As, and the First XI

Aarav Desai

It was a very pleasing season for the team5’s regular opening batter. He was strong in defence and aggressive when attacking. He developed a very good opening partnership with Ashton, which often got the team off to a solid start against high-quality bowling opposition.

On 6 of the 10 occasions he opened the batting, Aarav made meaningful contributions. His next stage is to convert those 20s and 30s into 50s to get the full recognition and progress his game.

Highlight of the season: a match-winning 62 against St John’s, where he mixed stoke-play with power to allow the team to post 180 in a T20.

Jack Haynes

Jack opened the bowling for the team and made pleasing progress as the season progressed. He always had to bowl at the opposition’s top order – so did not get the luxury of cleaning up the tail!

Having to perform against the best batters really improved his bowling mentality and he became more reliable and confident as the season progressed. He only got one major outing for his beloved batting –where Brighton College suffered – with an important contribution to set a winning total. A great team man!

Highlight of the season: the growing confidence to compete against the very best opposition batters.

Oliver Khaksar

Oliver had an excellent all-round season in which he performed well for the U15As, U17s, and the First XI. He started very well, with a match-winning 70 versus Tiffin and 69 versus Reeds, displaying his ability to bat for long periods and his powerful stroke-play. It is very likely that his season average of 41 would have been maintained or bettered with more innings for the team.

After a back injury in the U14s, this season was part of his bowling come back – and he certainly made some great strides. By the end of the season he bowled with greater control which will prepare him well for Senior cricket. His strike-rate of 11 reflected his value to the team.

Highlight of the season: the desire to bowl – when he was supposed to be resting – because the team were under huge pressure against Reigate Grammar. When the going gets tough…

Xavier Knowles

Xavier is a competitive all-round cricketer and proved his value to the team by constantly wanting to bowl at the toughest times, bat for the situation, and field where the ball is going most.

He bowled with great control and certainly got some vital top order wickets. His batting opportunities were limited because of a successful top order, but he certainly showed his value with excellent contributions against Reeds and Harrow. His performances meant he also made appearances for the U17s and the First XI – and it was no surprise that he performed well.

Highlight of the season: probably with the bat where he held his nerve in the final over against Whitgift to see the team home for a final game victory.

Rufus Lawson

Rufus had the classic all-rounder slot for the team. A middle-order stroke-player, impactful bowler, and excellent fielder. He will be disappointed with his return as a batter, but he always played the situation for the team and showed his potential with an excellent 39 versus Dulwich.

Rufus has the ability to bowl quick deliveries, and it was not unusual to see a batter rushed. He was a huge asset in the field due to his natural athleticism.

Highlight of the season: a stunning, running catch in the T20 Regional semi-final, which got a huge reaction from his team mates and all of the spectators.

Isaac Mistry

Isaac opened the bowling every match and was a model of consistency. His tall, repetitive action meant he troubled every top order with his accuracy and movement. He also displayed the ability to return later in the innings to keep it tight or take wickets to restrict the opposition. He certainly looks ready for Senior cricket – where he will thrive.

His batting also highlighted that he is a genuine all-rounder, with some valuable boundaries to finish off the innings. His highest score of 57 – when the team needed him showed the quality of his batting – made him look every bit of top six batter. This was an excellent season from an highly promising all-round cricketer.

Highlight of the season: every time he hit the seam and troubled a top-order player.

Max Pagnamenta

‘Pagnamenta’ – Italian for wicket-machine! Max was the joint-top wicket-taker for the team – 15 wickets – and he put in some excellent performances. He spins the ball a long way for an off-spinner, and he certainly bowled with greater control as the season progressed. He bowled in the tough periods against high-quality batters, so his average 15.53 and strike-rate 15.2 was an impressive return. Max loves his batting, but his opportunities were limited – so it was great to see his 34 against KCS Wimbledon.

Highlight of the season: every time he ripped one through the gate for the classic off-spinner’s dismissal.

Guradaes Singh

Guradaes displayed his all-round capabilities throughout the season; he could be seen bowling pace, batting anywhere in the top order, and even keeping wicket. He made various contributions with the bat – most notably a fine 46 against Harrow, which proved he could perform against a high-quality opposition. He bowled well when

required with a canny knack of taking wickets. He kept twice when required – a true all-rounder and team man!

Highlight of the season: anytime he timed one through backward point for four!

Popped in for a couple of games:

Ambrose Butterfield – Excellent opening spell at Brighton College. Bene Butterfield – A couple of good contributions with the bat. Ollie Hazel – Bowled well at Brighton College.

Jatin Chandra – Only three overs, but he still managed to pick up a wicket.

Well done to everyone involved in the season – I look forward to following your progress and many successes in Senior Cricket!

CH

U15C Cricket

The under 15 C cricket team, while not enjoying a vintage season in terms of results, played some entertaining cricket in all of their matches. The final record stood as follows: played 6, won 2, lost 4.

The season saw two decisive victories against Harrow and Reeds, with narrow losses against Tiffin, KCS and RGS; in each of these matches – until quite late in the game – it looked like Hampton might win, meaning the total of wins and losses does not fairly reflect the strength of the team and the matches they played.

Indeed, it was only against Dulwich that the 15Cs had a bad day at the office and were fairly comfortably beaten.

A total of 18 different players represented the team across the six fixtures, with some playing more regularly in the Bs, while the rest rotated their positions. All made positive contributions at one point or another, but three individual performances are worth highlighting.

Olly Phillips, who also kept wicket effectively and captained thoughtfully, hit the season’s highest score, with 79 not out against Tiffin.

George Wormleighton, in his few appearances when not playing for the Bs, managed two excellent fifties, with 63 not out against Reeds and 53 not out against RGS; he also captained the team well in a couple of matches.

The whole team can be credited for the cheerful and positive way they went about their cricket across the term.

Ishan Arora, Nihal Bal, Rahul Bansal, Rohan Bhalla, Oscar Boyle, Reuben Easter, Sam Field, Tristan Landricombe, Josh MillingtonJones, George Moria, Akshay Narayanan, Olly Phillips, Tom Phillips, Ethan Roberts, Darshan Saini, Salahuddin Shah, Siddharth Srivastav, George Wormleighton, Austin Wormleighton, and Stan Green

Well done to all involved – and I look forward to hearing about your cricketing exploits in the coming years!

JOM

U14A Cricket

The U14As, under the captaincy of Manav Vasanth, had a season with some great, memorable wins and with some sour, very close losses that could have been won. It was a season where everyone in the team made at least one key contribution in a game, and that is a major positive to take into the next season for the side.

The team also made a wonderful comeback in the season – winning only a cup game in the first 5 games of the season but then going on to win the next 5 games on the bounce, including getting into the final of the Middlesex Cup against arguably the best school they will ever play- Merchant Taylors’.

In the end, the side finished with a total of 7 victories out of the 13 games they played.

The first game of the 2025 season for the team was a sign of how good a side they could be – and it gave them great confidence for the other games.

In the first round of the Middlesex County Cup, the side were up against Latymer Upper School. Hampton were put into bat first and after nervy starts, the team were pinned back at 21-2 in the first 7 overs of a T20 game. The next seven batsmen then knew that, on a good-looking Hampton pitch, a score greater than 150 was required.

Captain Manav Vasanth and Vayun Jain then stitched an important partnership – taking the game away from Latymer and increasing the run-rate brilliantly. Vayun Jain eventually holed out for 27 in the fourteenth over, leaving Hampton on 86-3 in 14 overs.

Sebastian Wright, known even in the 2024 season for his exceptional hitting prowess, continued where he left off from the season before; he smashed a quick-fire 45 runs not out while Manav Vasanth did the same, helping Hampton to a solid score of 157-3.

On a good wicket, however, this score looked chaseable, and Hampton knew that they had to bowl very well; yet, this is exactly what happened! Louis Spira and Monty Roberts bowled very tight lines, being very economical. At the other end, due to the pressure rising, Charlie Legge’s ability to get the ball into brilliant areas resulted in him taking 3 wickets for just 21 runs.

Eventually, under the pressure, Latymer Upper School collapsed at the end and finished on 107-8 in their 20 overs. Hampton knew after their first game that they had played excellent cricket to win the first one and that they wanted to do this throughout the season.

After the first game of the season, the second was truly one to remember as it was a nail-biting finish against Tiffin Boys’ school in an away fixture.

Hampton, losing an important toss, were to field first. Tiffin’s batters that put them in a commanding position after the first innings. Short boundaries and a quick outfield were used in great effect; after 30 overs, Tiffin had set a formidable total of 230-7 in just 30 overs.

Hampton, however, knew that, if they batted very well, 230 was a chaseable score.

Unfortunately, this did not happen; Hampton simply did not stick to their game plan and were struggling on 57-4 after 11 overs, looking like they were going no where near their target. However, one of the best innings you will ever see was witnessed by everywhere even near the ground. Simply put an innings of great skill and remarkable hitting from Sebastian Wright, who hit his second hundred for Hampton (106 off just 58 balls), and a great supporting hand from Fred Owen (28 off 33) saw Hampton get much closer to their target than anyone would have ever thought. Eventually, Sebastian Wight did get out after a magnificent innings and 41 more runs were still needed for Hampton in 7 overs and with 5 wickets in hand, Hampton did have the upper hand, however, one of the greatest fast-bowling spells you would ever witness occurred from Tiffin’s strike bowler and in 2 overs, Hampton

lost all 5 wickets and lost in a Hampton-Tiffin classic. Hampton did receive a major setback from this game, however, knew that some of their key batters were in form and further contributions from anyone could win these such games.

Hampton’s middle-order collapses did not stop at Tiffin’s game though as they suffered collapses against Harrow School, Dulwich College, Reed’s School and Eton College. Hampton’s fourth game, for example, was a game looked back in regret as it was a game to win for Hampton but simply given away in high-pressure moments. In a home game against Dulwich, Hampton were looking confident as they beat Dulwich comfortably the year before and were looking to do the same again. Hampton won the toss and batted first in a batted-friendly wicket and in 30 overs scored a huge total of 223-8. Manav Vasanth stood from the front and played a wonderful knock, playing shots all round the ground and scored 82 off just 62 balls. Rajvir Sahota and Fred Owen also contributed well, and both added 36 to the score. Hampton, looking confident, had Dulwich at 60-2 and were looking to wrap the game up, on the other hand, Dulwich’s main batters scored heavily and chased down their target in the last over. Hampton’s inconsistency with their lines and lengths cost them the game and they knew they had to be better than that to win games. This is shown in an excellent all-round performance against John Lyon’s school in the County Cup semi-final.

John Lyon were firstly put into bat at Hampton and simply due to brilliant fielding and energy around the ground, John Lyon only managed to score 106-8 in their 20 overs. It was a great all-round bowling effort from everyone, and Hampton wanted to do the same with bat and knock off the 107 runs with ease and this is what happened as a brilliant opening partnership from Siddhant Shetty and Sebastian Wright added 62 in just 8 overs. Manav Vasanth then came into the crease and with composure, finished off the game in style ending with 31 runs not out while Sebastian Wright, going for the glory shot, got bowled for yet another good-looking 40. Hampton were then through to the County Cup final against Merchant Taylors’. Hampton knew that this was going to be a very hard game as Merchant Taylors were the best team in the whole county, however, Hampton knew that if they played their best, Merchant Taylors was a team to beat. This is, unfortunately, not what happened. After a hearty breakfast and lengthy coach ride, Hampton arrived at Harrow School and were put into bat first. They knew in the 40 overs a total of 200 was required against a quality batting lineup, however, apart from strong counter attacking 30s by Nico Watts and Manav Vasanth, Hampton batted poorly, losing many wickets to poor shot selection, and were bowled out for just 159 in 40 overs. A good start with the ball then had Merchant Taylors’ 8-2, but their next two batters played beautifully and both made fifties, chasing down Hampton’s total in 21 overs for the loss of only three wickets. It was an all-round disappointing performance from Hampton, with their batting, bowling and fielding not being up to scratch. On the other hand, Hampton knew it was a great experience and opportunity to play against an excellent school in a final.

The last game of the season was, undoubtedly, the best game of the season. The thrill of the game was throughout and the feeling after the game is still remembered wholly by the entire team. Hampton were up against Whitgift School in a home fixture of 30 overs. Hampton came to the game thinking about the last 2 years where Whitgift had just batted and bowled Hampton out of the game and hoped it would not happen again. Whitgift, firstly, had won the toss and chose to bat first- setting an excellent total of 224-4 in the 30 overs. The last 10 overs of Hamton’s fielding innings were not moments they would want to review as Whitgift added 120 runs in that period, on the other hand, in the first 20 overs, Hampton looked really sharp- only conceding 110 runs in the 20 overs. When Hampton came out to bat, they knew

that they had to bat aggressively but also not lose too many wickets at the start like what happened against Tiffin. Jonathan Biggs did give Hampton a good start and looked to bat with intent, however, a small collapse saw Hampton at 55-3 in 12 overs. Skipper Manav Vasanth, however, was still batting on 27 not out at this point and he knew the importance of his wicket and how the game could easily change with a couple of wickets falling. Sebastian Wright then came to the crease and Hampton’s 2 best batters needed to stitch a long, important partnership for Hampton to have a chance in the game. This is exactly what happened as Manav Vasanth and Sebastian Wright ran extremely hard and hammered the bad balls to all sides of the boundaries and the pressure was on Whitgift School to break the 95-run partnership. Just then, a brilliant piece of fielding saw Whitgift break a partnership and Manav Vasanth’s valiant 47 came to an end and out came Nico Watts at number 7. Hampton then needed 80 off just 7 overs. The game really was looking out of reach with Hampton’s set batter gone, however, all eyes were peeled on the game-changer that had already done it once- Sebastian Wright Could the unthinkable happen again? He was still at the crease and was on 45. Then, the next 5 overs of cricket truly was something to watch. The next 5 overs included some of the most exhilarating moments of cricket as a heist had been pulled off as Sebastian Wight simply, once again, smashed the cricket ball to all sides of the ground and boundary after boundary, Sebastian Wright brought up his third century for Hampton in style and eventually, Hampton cruised ahead to win the game with 8 balls remaining and with 5 wickets in hand. Sebastian Wright ended with 119 not out off just 60 balls and such innings from an U14 player is extremely hard to find. Appreciation must also be given to Nico Watts as he held one end and made sure he didn’t give his wicket away in a 90-run partnership. This game against Whitgift truly was a great way to finish off the season.

Great contributions from others also helped Hampton massively to other great wins like against King’s College and St James. Another stand-out performer- Monty Roberts finished with the leading wicket taker for the U14A team and Max Jackson also bowled brilliantly in the season- joining the U14A team after having a remarkable start for the U14B team. Stand-out performances were also from Monty Roberts when he took his maiden fifer in the County Cup Round 2 and Manav Vasanth’s 5 catches in 1 game against Brighton College including 3 slip catches. Wicketkeepers, Fred Owen and Rajvir Sahota also had great seasons- reducing the number of byes each game-making sure the number of extras never drastically go up. To conclude, The U14A team had a mixed season filled with joy and excitement and they will look to come back even stronger next season and work even harder on their skills- increasing the number of 7 wins to 10.

Great appreciation must also be given to the U14A team coach Mr Hooper who helped bring out the best in all the players and his excitement and passion to the game of cricket will be greatly missed.

U14B Cricket

The Bs took to the field for eight matches this season, securing two well-earned victories and showing clear progress from last year’s winless run. Although they lost six matches, the team consistently put in spirited performances, playing with energy and enthusiasm both on and off the pitch.

Key figures, such as Neil Thakur and Henry Sage, played an important role in lifting morale throughout the campaign.

The batting lineup produced plenty of standout moments. Max Jackson led from the front with a brilliant 70 off 51 balls in the win over Dulwich College, while Sam Diggins played a crucial knock of 48 against Harrow, forming a match-turning 50-run partnership with Jackson.

Both Sam and Josh have been very reliable batsmen this season, with Josh amassing 92 runs in his first three innings and finishing as the team’s top run-scorer with 149 runs in total, and Sam ending the season with 137 runs – a brilliant end to the season for both.

Devam Kumerasawi was vital in the fixture against Whitgift School, returning with a solid 49 after a top-order collapse to steady the innings, while also creating our highest partnership of the season with an 81-run stand alongside Ollie Syers, who also contributed with a composed 29 against Whitgift as well.

There were impressive showings with the ball, too. Neil Thakur emerged as the top wicket-taker, despite only featuring in three matches, including a standout performance of 3 for 35 in a highscoring clash against King’s College School.

Kavin Weerasinghe, the side’s most economical bowler with an economy of 1.75, managed to take 2 wickets for 3 runs against Tiffin, with the team achieving a team hat-trick inside his over.

Samrith Poonia bowled a tight five-over spell, conceding just 16 runs, in another high-scoring match against King’s. Devan Dhariwal made an impact with a superb two-over spell, taking 2 wickets for only 3 runs against Brighton College. Luke Mills also impressed, bowling three economical overs and conceding just 8 runs against Reeds.

In the field, the team delivered some exceptional moments.

Ishaaq Alam took what was arguably the catch of the season with a full-stretch, one-handed effort at square leg against RGS Guildford. Issac De Quintal took an excellent diving catch at extra cover against Whitgift School. And, behind the stumps, Austin Wormlington provided reliable support all season – including a smart stumping against RGS.

One of the team’s proudest achievements came in the thrilling super-over win against Dulwich College, superbly bowled by Stanley Green under pressure, while Max Jackson and Austin Wormlington put on a brilliant 15-run score.

The super-over also included a fantastic direct hit by Kavin Weerasinghe from the boundary!

Another well-fought win came against Harrow, with a superb 50-run partnership between Sam and Max, and a brilliant spell of bowling from Issac, who only went for three runs. The team also recorded their highest total of the season – 151 runs – against Whitgift, thanks to a beautiful partnership between Ollie and Devam.

All in all, it has been a season of clear progress. While the team may have lost several games, many of these matches went right down to the wire - highlighting just how far the team has come since last season.

With strong individual performances, growing consistency, and a positive team culture, the B team squad has laid a strong foundation for the future.

U14C Cricket

It has been a mixed season for the U14Cs, winning four and losing five of their matches. Notable performances include Matty Rogers’ 49 against Dulwich, Ishaan Mittal’s 41 against KCS, and Stan Hughes’ 38 not out against Eton.

There were some excellent bowling performances throughout the season, including Elijah Thomson’s four wickets on debut against Brighton College, Yevin Silva’s 3 wickets against KCS, and Daniel Spooner getting the same number against Dulwich College.

A mention must also go to the excellent opening partnership of Alex Carmichael-Schofield and Armaan Virdee, who got seven and ten wickets across the season respectively, and to Joe Lloyd for bowling the highest number of maidens in the team.

The fielding was impressive across the season; special mention should go to Arha Deshpande for his many catches and run-outs, and, finally, to Stan Hughes for his very consistent work behind the stumps.

I would like to thank all of the boys who played in the team, those mentioned in this report and not, for always playing the game in the right spirit and supporting each other commendably throughout the season.

OGR

U13A Cricket

The U13A Cricket team performed brilliantly at times this season and were an absolute pleasure to coach; over the course of the season, they played 14 matches, winning 12 and losing 2. All of the players were willing to work hard in training to develop their skills throughout the winter and during the season itself. This, combined with a significant weight of cricketing talent and an excellent team spirit, resulted in a hugely successful season – culminating in the ESCA National Cup victory.

The season hinged on three days in May. Having tasted defeat for the first time in the quarter-final of the Surrey Cup against Reed’s School on the Saturday, we met Haberdashers’ Elstree in the first round of the National Cup – which the team qualified for having won the U12 Middlesex Cup last season – on the Monday.

Faced with the prospect of being knocked out of both cup competitions in three days, the boys put in a determined performance to win, and they never really looked back from that point on. A faltering chase in a low scoring game on a tough pitch at KCS Wimbledon was the only other defeat of a season that saw the team win handsomely against Whitgift, St Paul’s, Merchant Taylors’, and the Perse School, and narrowly in nail biting games against RGS Guildford and Dulwich College – twice.

The belief and confidence that came from holding their collective nerve and trusting each other to win in tight games was the magic ingredient that turned this very good side into national champions.

The team beat Worksop College by 22 runs in the ESCA U13 Cup final. Hampton batted first and scored 170 against a strong bowling attack. Rey Jaiswal top scored with 68 and captain Ruaan Vamadevan contributed 50.

Worksop College were eventually bowled out for 148 in a very close game. Ruaan took 3 for 16 with the ball and also held four catches to complete an excellent individual performance. Ridhaan Gala took the crucial final wicket to finish with figures of 2 for 2.

It was an outstanding team performance to bowl out a side boasting significant batting talent and pedigree – England’s record Test run scorer Joe Root is an alumnus of the school.

The match was a roller coaster game, worthy of a final, during which Hampton players stuck together and stepped up in key moments when the match hung in the balance. The team carried themselves with real sportsmanship and class after securing victory. A great day for Hampton cricket!

Listing individual player achievements risks undermining the essential team nature of playing high quality winning cricket, so the following individual highlights should not be viewed as eclipsing the achievements of the whole team.

In the 2025 season, Ruaan Vamadevan led the run-scoring with 396 runs, closely followed by Rey Jaiswal with 365. On the bowling front, Kailan Sivakumaran topped the wicket-taking chart with 22 wickets, while Wilf Waterworth claimed 14. Magnus O’Leary, Dushyant Parthiban, and Joshua Pagnamenta each contributed significantly with 13 wickets apiece.

Ruhaan Vinod also deserves a mention for keeping wicket with great skill throughout the season. Ridhaan Gala took 11 wickets and played some crucial innings with the bat, building key partnerships.

Theo Payne bowled with pace and swing. Devam Shah showed solid technique with the bat, and Will Potter returned from injury to bowl some vital spells of leg spin. Well played, all of you.

This truly was a remarkable season with unprecedented on field success. I hope that the boys will reflect on their achievements with pride but also take stock of where they are on their cricketing journey through the school and beyond.

This group of players have learned a lot and have a lot still to learn to become the cricketers they should aspire to be – this applies to their fielding, as well as their batting and bowling.

I look forward to watching all these players develop their skills and continue to improve as they move up the School. They were a pleasure to coach and showed impeccable spirit and sportsmanship all season – arguably the most important qualities of any sports team.

TFR

U12A Cricket

The U12A cricket team had a simply outstanding season. Much of this was because they were simply too good for the opposition sides on a player by player basis.

The team played 11 games and won 10 of them, with a loss to Whitgift in the final match of the season, the only blip. In amongst all of this, they won the Middlesex Cup with a crushing 124-run victory over a strong Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet side.

From a batting standpoint, six players scored fifties and eight players averaged over 20. In amongst this excellence, there was a clear core of four top order batsmen who combined for 995 runs.

Openers Yuvan Meda (288 runs at 32) and Smyan Mehta (272 runs at 39) consistently provided a solid platform for the side. With the technical ability to see off stronger bowlers and the shots to punish the weaker ones, they formed an outstanding partnership at the top of the order.

The Middlesex Cup Final was an excellent example, where the opposition visibly wilted in the combination of the heat and the dominance of their batting, with Yuvan scoring an outstanding 85.

The issue for opposition sides was that, if they did happen to get a wicket, Bertie Elliott (215 runs at 71) was coming in at three. Bertie demonstrated a rare ability for such a young batsman to be able to play very aggressively while retaining his technique and would often essentially lock down the opposition bowling before choosing the point at which he was going to start scoring quickly.

Coming in at 4 was Kaarthikan Mayouran (220 runs at 37), who regularly added – frankly, already present – impetus when he came in. While his stroke-making was strong, it was also noticeable how effective his running between the wickets was, stealing runs from tired fielding sides and driving his partners to push for more runs than they might otherwise have gained.

The overall effect for an opposition was that there was no real way into the batting line up. Having said that, even if they did get further into the order, there were still runs waiting for them.

Max King (82 runs at 20) offered a solid, intelligent finish to several innings. Rahul Prabhudesai (110 runs at 28) showed great promise – when he kept the ball on the floor! – including an excellent 50 against RGS Guildford. Arhaan Khan (71 runs at 24) was a touch inconsistent, but hit some mighty blows at times. Jesse Galustian also made an impact, having come up from the B team at the end of the season, scoring an unbeaten 50 and ending with an average of 69.

In amongst all this, the lower order did not get much opportunity to shine with the bat; but, they all showed talent at times, with the most notable instance being Luke Whyte’s quickfire 20 in the Middlesex Cup Final.

Runs on the board are essential, but you also need poles to win cricket matches. Fortunately, the side was also able to deliver wickets.

Four bowlers took over 10 wickets, six bowlers averaged less than 10 and seven bowlers conceded fewer than 4 runs per over. As a combination, the bowling attack was very hard for opposition batsmen to escape.

The figurehead was Kaarthikan Mayouran (8 wickets at 8), who bowled with genuine pace and skill. In the final match of the season, which was the only loss, he bowled an exceptional spell to two top class batsmen, dismissing one with a ferocious bouncer and being very unlucky not to dismiss the other batsman.

Top wicket-taker was Arhaan Khan (15 wickets at 8), with an outstanding 5 wickets for 4 runs as the centre piece of his performance for the season. Rayaan Awan’s inswing took 13 wickets at 6.5, breaking key partnerships at regular points through the year.

Ansh Rao’s bowling was also very hard to escape and brought 10 wickets at 12 runs apiece, while Luke Whyte (8 wickets at 7) would often not get an opportunity until the end of an innings – at which point he would mop up the tail!

Ed Jolliffe (8 wickets at 16) swung the ball prodigiously, and often made a difference in the middle overs. Rahul Prabhudesai (6 wickets at 12) often opened the bowling, moving the ball late away from the batsman and was unlucky not to take more wickets.

In terms of spin, the side had Max King’s leg spin (11 wickets at 8) which often tied the opposition’s middle order in knots. Bertie Elliott alternated between off spin and leg spin, taking 6 wickets at 8.

What this all meant is that you had a side with some exceptional batsmen with a strong supporting cast and an incredibly deep bowling attack – which made for a very difficult side to beat!

They have years of Hampton Cricket to look forward to and, with Bertie and Kaarthikan playing in the final of the Second Year’s U13 National Cup Final win, the School was treated to a sneak peak of what could well be a very, very strong basis for a First XI in five or six years’ time.

Most importantly, this side was a pleasure to coach, with an excellent attitude, a willingness to learn and improve and a camaraderie that kept them together, even when things were difficult.

Well done to all of the players and thank you to the parents for such consistent and wonderful support.

TJG

U12B Cricket

We were blessed with as deep a talent pool as I can remember in this year’s U12 cricket group, and, consequently, we had a larger than average squad for the Bs – all of whom performed admirably at this level and occasionally rotated into the C team to plunder runs and wickets there.

It was a real squad effort.

Arthur Bell forced his way into the team and made excellent contributions in our final couple of games. Jesse Galustian – who scored 50 for the As and Bs on the same day at RGS Guildford!

– Aryan Tewatia, Armaan Karthik, Jack Diggins, and Arjun Jamalla all played match-changing innings with the bat, and Kiyan Joshi, Harry Turle, Billy Yorath, Dulan Peduru Hewage, and Barney Mathieson won us games with the ball.

Perhaps the pick of a very strong bowling group, Ojas Prabhu never stopped talking in the field, and Elan Latif was outstanding with bat and ball, and gradually improved on running between the wickets.

A special mention has to go to captain Kyle Osborne, who consistently scored runs and bowled an extraordinary spell (4-2-1-2) against Whitgift. Having vanquished all before us up to July, we lost a thrilling final game on the last ball against a very strong team – a fittingly exciting finish to an outstanding season!

The boys were exemplary to work with and a real credit to Hampton in the attitude and sportsmanship that they displayed throughout. The future is very bright.

CAM

U12C Cricket

The U12Cs can look back with pride on a season full of success, strong performances, and great team spirit.

We began in style with a 94-run win over Tiffin, and then built on this with another commanding victory against Dulwich, by 57 runs. Runs flowed from the bats of James Moody, Fred Gey Van Pittius, and Luca Dhaliwal, while wickets came regularly thanks to the pace of David Mitchell, Ethan Chen, Edward Robinson, and the spin wizardry of Agastya Jain!

A narrow win against Reed’s was secured with an excellent performance from wicket-keeper Toby Smith

Strong bowling displays then set up decisive wins over St George’s Weybridge, by 10 wickets, and RGS, by 7 wickets, with the batsmen chasing down the targets in short order.

A 20-run win against King’s College then set us up for a final game showdown against Whitgift with the chance to complete a 100% win record. But, although we fought bravely and pushed them all the way, we just fell short.

Our overall record finished as played seven, won six with one defeat.

Aside from the strong results we enjoyed, what made this season special was the incredible team spirit and friendship throughout the squad. We supported each other, celebrated together, and had a lot of fun. It was a privilege to captain such a committed and talented group.

Finally, thank you to Mr Hurst, our coaches, staff and parents for their fantastic support, and a special mention to the grounds staff for preparing such excellent pitches week after week.

Seb Goode

Rowing

Senior Rowing

The story of Hampton Senior rowing has been one of steady improvement over the last few years, and, in 2024-25, the club took another big step forward.

At the start of the year we made a pledge to improve our position in the national school rankings and felt optimistic about our chances. Our First VIII coach, Mr Butler, was into his second year and making a huge difference, while seven members of the previous year’s Senior boat were returning.

The club also benefited from an influx of new rowers which created more competition for places right through the season.

We trained hard ahead of the official start to the season, and a half term camp in Seville under sunny skies further built our power and technique. The squad was coming together well.

Early Head races were plagued by bad weather and difficult conditions, but we persevered, despite the cancellations.

As we turned into the new year, it was clear things were really beginning to click. The squad had clearly worked hard over the Christmas break and we took 4th place in a choppy Schools Head rowing the 7km boat race course.

A productive Easter camp in Soustons saw the squad come even closer together; with confidence high, we set our sights on the summer regatta season ahead.

A windswept National Schools regatta in Nottingham saw a rerun final in the Open Championship VIII category and a creditable 4th place for Hampton.

We were now within striking distance of the fastest crews.

And so, to Henley.

Henley is the pinnacle of everyone’s rowing year and a regatta that sees top international schools competing in a schedule packed with Olympic and World championship crews.

Hampton started their campaign on Tuesday with a comfortable win against Dulwich College. The next day we were drawn against St Ignatius College, the Australian school champions and – in their eyes – a favourite to take the title.

In one of the best rows seen by a Hampton boat in years, we saw off their challenge to progress to a quarter-final against St Edward’s, who had beaten us at Henley two years previously.

Stepping up another gear, we won again, taking us through to the weekend semi-final and a date with Radley College! Sadly, this race was a bridge too far and we came second in a tight – and very loud – race.

It was the end of a brilliant season, one in which the Hampton colours were waved proudly and with increasing conviction.

A huge thanks goes to Mr Butler and the entire coaching staff for their help and encouragement throughout the year.

We look forward to going again this season.   Mr Greenaway

J16 Rowing

The 2024-25 season saw the J16 squad begin to train alongside the Senior squad. Unsurpisingly, we benefited hugely early on in the season by being able to learn so much from rowing alongside the older boys; this included a first winter training camp in Seville, which helped develop small boat skills.

First up was some early season racing at Kingston Small Boats Head, Teddintgon Small Boats Head, and the chance for some of the squad to gain experience of U19 trials at the early ID event in Boston.

Unfortunately, shortly after this, the weather began to take a turn for the worse, leading to the cancellation of the fours head of the river and our own Hampton Small Boats Head.

This led us to the beginning of a long winter of ergs and weights on the land.

When the river began to return to normal levels, we began to train in Eights again, preparing for the Schools Head of the River Race on the tideway stretch. The event had been cancelled the year before, so we had never raced the full 7 kilometre championship course from Mortlake to Putney.

We gained some invaluable racing experience along a shortened version of the course at Hammersmith Head, finishing in third place behind St Paul’s and KCS.

This was followed by Kingston Head, where we finished in second place behind KCS. Unfortunately, we could ultimately not match these performances at the Schools Head of the River, as we were dealt a blow through illness that lead to last minute substitutions.

However, these experiences gave us a renewed determination going into the regatta season.

At our camp in Soustons, we were able to race against the school Third VIII, resulting in many tight side-by-side races.

We started off our regatta season at Wallingford regatta, where we finished 2nd in our heat of the eights; although we were behind KCS, we recorded the second-fastest qualifying time. The final was hardfought, with St Paul’s and KCS fastest to the 500 and us 2 seconds behind – level with a crew from the South Africa Schools Rowing Union.

Unfortunately, despite being level up to the 1500, the crew from South Africa managed to find a bigger sprint in the end, leaving us in fourth place.

We would race again though in the coxed four later that afternoon, comfortably winning our heat by over 5 seconds and progressing to the final. Here, we finished second in our fourth race of the day – just 0.41 seconds behind last year’s national champions from Great Marlow School!

We then shifted back into the Eight for National Schools Regatta, which had been moved to the National Watersports centre in Nottingham for the year. This meant that we travelled to Nottingham to race on the course at Nottingham City Regatta.

The race was a straight final between us and Shrewsbury School. In pristine conditions, we managed to get a fast start and pull away early, breaking the Shrewsbury School crew and winning by 12.2 seconds to gain our first silverware of the season.

Unfortunately, the conditions at National Schools Regatta were not as good: strong winds caused the time trial to be shortened to just

1750m. After securing qualification for the A final, we found out we had drawn the most unfavourable lane for the final.

Despite a hard fought battle against Dulwich, we ended up with a sixth place finish.

The racing season was not over though; there was still an opportunity to race for GB at the annual GB versus France regatta and to merge with the Third VIII crew to support their efforts to qualify for Henley Royal Regatta.

Sadly, there was to be no Henley campaign as we encountered a high number of quality university crews, finishing a respectable 25th out of 50 crews.

The very next day we had the trials for GB versus France selection.

The format of the race was a 1500m, where the winner would directly qualify to row for GB. Having raced in the eight for most of the season, we transitioned to the four perfectly, qualifying by over 5 seconds. This meant we had the opportunity to race at the London Docklands against France in mid-July.

Despite not knowing anything about our French opposition, we managed to overcome a slight early lead over the French to triumph by over three lengths.

Enormous thanks must go to Mr Greenway, Mr Nugent, and Mr Hope for coaching us throughout this year and enabling us to race at such a high level. Thank you also to all of the parents for their endless support and time!

Patrick Moroney

J15 Rowing

September saw the beginning of the season, picking up where we left off in J14s and focusing on sculling.

We took this discipline through the Autumn term, and began to focus on Hampton Small Boats Head in doubles and quads. The idea was to race twice – once in Division 1, in a double, and again in Division 2 as a quad. However, as it happened the event was cancelled due to a strong stream.

November rolled around, bringing a clean sweep at both Kingston Small Boats Head and Teddington Head: 5.2km from Hampton Court to Kingston Rowing Club.

For our first J15 appearance this was not a bad start, and it gave us confidence going into the winter. This was much needed as the winter season proved to be a slog of cold early mornings, long, hard ergs and water session cancellations.

The river once again bested the boat club, resulting in the squad being stuck to land training until early January.

For our first race of the new year, several mixed eights were dispatched to Dorney Olympic Lake for Eton Invitational Head. Two racing pieces, each 2km, proved to be good practice racing in eights which are sweeping boats rather than sculling boats.

This change in discipline was intended for the end of the Autumn term, although this plan was relatively fruitless, as the river decided not to let us row through the winter months.

Following another race cancellation – Hampton Fours & Eights Head

– we moved into March and set our sights on Schools Head of the River: the first national race in the calendar.

On the 15th March, ‘Hampton A’ raced at Kingston Head – the same 5.2km course as from the previous November – and came third. We agreed afterward that the 8-second gap to Radley (2nd) was easily achievable, and the 29-second gap to KCS (1st) was a target to be taken to Schools Head in 10 days’ time.

On the 25th March, the J15 crews boated from St Paul’s School.

After sitting on the water for several hours, we set off through Chiswick Bridge and began our race on the Championship course. The A crew posted a time just 2.1 seconds behind KCS, placing us 3rd in the J15 Championship VIIIs category. We had made up 27 seconds in 10 days which was excellent, but we still had 22 seconds to catch up St Paul’s.

The B crew finished 2nd in their category, just behind St Paul’s, and the C crew won the J15 3rd VIII.

Following this 3rd place finish, we set out again for Dorney Lake for the next day for the Junior Sculling Head. This, similar to Eton Invitational Head, was two 2km pieces, but this time in an octo – an eight, but sculling.

Nevertheless, our two crews finished second and third, just a few seconds behind The Windsor Boys School, a club that focuses on sculling, and did not race the day before.

And so begun training camp…

Just two weeks after Schools Head, HSBC boarded a plane to Soustons, France for the annual week-long Easter training camp.

Having arrived at about 1AM, there was no early morning session, but this did not prevent seat racing from taking place. Over the first few days, the whole J15 squad was seat raced over 1000m many, many times.

The results ended up in two crew changes from the Schools Head line up, but hopefully a faster crew.

Over the course of the week, we trained in various different rigs, boats and orders. A highlight of the week was racing pieces against the school 3rd VIII in the ‘triple bucket’ configuration. From 6am rows in fours, to late night paddles in pairs, training camp was a vital opportunity for the crews to improve vastly, catching up on the water time we lost in the winter.

We started the summer term rested – sort of – rejuvenated, and much faster.

This was proved on May 4th, as we raced our way to a decisive victory at Wallingford Regatta, ahead of Radley, KCS, and Westminster. This gave us a huge boost in confidence, knowing training camp had really paid off moving into the regatta season.

Next up for the A crew: Poplar Regatta.

Our final race before National Schools.

Our final chance to see where we sat in the field of J15 VIIIs.

It was just us and two other crews, and we were confident, but treated the race as if we were racing the fastest crews in the world. This attitude stopped us from becoming overconfident – which could actually slow us down if a crew were to surprise us.

A win would take us straight through to the final.

We went off hard, and, by 500m, we had a comfortable lead; so we took the rate down to take a win in the heat by a comfortable 3 seconds.

In the final, we were joined by a few crews from our heat, as well as the B crew. But, our focus was the St Paul’s A crew.

Afterwards, we agreed it was not our best race, and the 2nd place reflected that. The rest of the crews came in more than 15 seconds behind us and St Paul’s, which gave us confidence about that, but we knew we had a big gap to close over the next week.

The B crew were just pipped to 3rd place.

From that Sunday, we began to taper our training down, making sure we were not pushing too hard. And, on the following Friday, we began the journey up to Nottingham…

We arrived at Nottingham on the Friday afternoon, and began to rig up the boats in preparation for the big day. After a relatively sleepless night – due to a concert playing next to the hotel – we set off for our time trial.

We all felt it was a good row – despite the North Sea-like conditions! We found out afterwards we had placed 3rd overall – behind Radley and St Paul’s. As our stern entered the stakeboat, the Umpire started the race. The regatta had changed to quick starts because of the windy weather.

We held off a strong KCS crew all the way down the course, and attempted to make a move on Radley and St Paul’s.

In the end, however, we could not quite pull it off, and ended the race with a very respectable bronze medal. Well done to both Radley and St Paul’s.

The B crew were 2nd in their time trial and also had a quick turnaround before arcing the final.

Following a long battle, they held off a strong Radley crew to claim a bronze medal behind St Paul’s and KCS Wimbledon.

The C crew were also racing in the B crew category, finishing 10th in the time trial and 5th in the B final.

Following National Schools, the squad spent the next few weeks revising for end of year exams, and so rowing was on pause for the moment.

Once the exams were over though, we began to prepare for BASHER II – once again in mixed crews. It was a series of 1000m side by side races, and proved to be a nice way to round off a very successful year.

The year was not quite over though, and with a final 2K test looming; training was not backing off. The 2K is a chance to show the coaches – but mainly ourselves – how far we had come since September. Josh Mountain

Tennis

It was another fantastic season on court for Hampton tennis players. Well done to all those who came to practice, and to those who played their first competitive matches for the School.

Surrey League and Festival

A very strong U12 squad – Filippos Manderis, Aizhou Sun, Oscar Taylor, Yuchen Liu and Arthur Hanna – kicked things off in the Surrey League, easing to victory against Harrodian, Alleyn’s, and Caterham. The team progressed to the semi-finals, where sudden injury meant having to forfeit their match against Reed’s – but we look forward to seeing them fight another day in the U13s!

The U13s and U14s also put in strong performances in the box-stage, notably against more tough opposition from Reed’s. A special shout out must go to Duncan Chan for never missing a practice, as well as U13 teammates Justin Kim, Lucas Taylor, Ollie Scrimshaw, and Josh Don Carolis.

In the U14s, experienced duo Anthony Simonov and Zidan Akhtar showed real grit and impressive net-skills, losing narrowly in several matches. Well done Aiden Farrugia, James Clegg, and Georges Scholes who also represented the side.

Next, the U15s stormed through the box-stages and marched on to finals day at St George’s Weybridge. A day of 31-degree heat made for challenging conditions but – with a healthy ration of fruit pastilles for change of ends – the boys put up a fantastic fight against Ewell Castle.

Zac Verret and Ollie Scott showed great flare and teamwork, and Alex Milicic and Jayden Chit some killer passing shots. Although they did not come away with the trophy, they should be very proud of their performance and sportsmanship.

The Surrey Festival followed, and Mr Langton reported on another fun day of tennis, with the U12s winning one fast-4 match without losing a point!

KAW

Portugal Tennis Tour

In October, a group of 17 boys travelled to Portugal on Tennis Tour, where it was wonderful to see everyone throwing themselves into training – as well as time spent relaxing, or playing padel/football/waboba at the beach with teammates!

With a catchy soundtrack for motivation, the boys benefited from a variety of basket and full-court drills, footwork exercises, and daily yoga sessions with Miss Jacobsen – which were a surprising hit!

On the final afternoon following Davis Cup style matches, the boys played exhibition doubles with junior international player Mason Dace, and despite initial nerves they showed wonderful team spirit and determination.

Head coach Phil was amazed to discover that the boys ranged from Third Year to Lower Sixth, and remarked on the fantastic camaraderie amongst them all.

We look forward to another trip in 2026.

GJT

Eton Junior Pairs

At the Eton Junior Pairs the U15s –Zac Verret, Ollie Scott, Alex Milicic, and Jayden Chit – narrowly missed out on retaining the trophy, losing to the hosts in a very competitive final, but not before beating KCS Wimbledon, Dulwich, and Reed’s along the way.

The timed format made for some very exciting matches, both for players and spectators!

ISL Junior Finals

A team of twelve U14, U15, and U16 players performed brilliantly in this year’s ISL Finals, with matches played across two weekends at Radley and Eton. For the second year running, Hampton finished 2nd out of 16 schools, including the likes of Reed’s, Tonbridge, and KCS Wimbledon. First Year Filippos Manderis also showed great enthusiasm and guts playing up for the U14s.

All players should be very proud of this achievement!

ISTA Championship

The season finished with four sunny days at the ISTA Championships, where Hampton boys competed against schools from across the country.

Here, congratulations must go once again to the U15s, who battled through to the quarter-finals where they faced Repton – and a former teammate – in a tricky match.

Thanks also to Harrison Chalmers, Jamie Giffin, Daniel O’Sullivan, and Sacha Garkavenko for their tenacity in the Seniors squad.

ATHLETICS

Image: Wasis Riyan / Unsplash.com

Harrow Athletics Fixture

(Sat 28 April)

29 Hampton Junior, Inter and Senior Athletes competed at the Harrow athletics meet; it was a great opportunity for our athletes to get an early season competition, and I was hugely encouraged by many of the performances.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

Juniors:

Luke Mills 80m Hurdles 1st Place 12.52

JoJo O’Shaughnessy High Jump 1st Place 1.60m

Inters:

Joe Timba 100m Hurdles 2nd Place 14.37

Marcus Solomon 1500m 1st Place 4.17.41

(after running the mini marathon in the morning)

Seniors:

James Queen 100m (A race) 1st Place 11.22

Sam Moylan-Jones 100m (B race) 2nd Place 11.37

*Nic Wojtylak Herrerro 100m 3rd Place 11.77

Michael Ronga Long Jump 2nd Place 6.13m

4x100m Relay Team Third Place 45.8

(photo finish to establish the winners) (Oni/Mills/Deedman/Moylan-Jones)

4x400m Relay Team First Place 3.45.49 (a fantastic race to finish the competition) (Hacking/Bouwmeester-R/Deedman/Armstrong)

*One of the most heroic performances came from Nic Wojtylak Herrerro, who was a talented junior athlete and had not competed on the track for over three years due to injury. After two knee ACL reconstructions. Nic was determined to get his spikes on again and run fast. He and his dad were quite emotional – so was I!

Achilles Schools Relays at The Iffley Road Track

(Thu 1 May)

We travelled with a depleted squad – only 21 athletes – to this year’s Achilles Relays in Oxford. It was a real shame we could not get a Senior 4x400m team to defend our title or a 4x800m team to race.

Nevertheless, Hampton Athletics can be proud of the efforts of all our athletes competing brilliant sunshine.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Seniors: All Lower Sixth, 4x100m winning their heat in the fastest race of the day and came a close 3rd in the Final.

The Inters had a fantastic day, getting through to all their finals and placing in all: a brilliant effort, by some very talented athletes! 4x100m – 2nd 4x200m – 2nd 4x400m – 3rd 4x800m – 2nd

The Juniors only entered two events and did well to reach one final after losing several strong athletes just the night before. 4x100m –5th place in a strong final was a thoroughly commendable effort.

Track & Field Cup, Round 1 at Lee Valley

(Fri 9 May)

29 Junior and Inter athletes competed here, and there were some impressive performances all round which culminated in the following highlights:

Inters Team: First Place against 12 other schools – 441 points – a place in the Regional Finals

Juniors Team: Second Place against 10 other schools – 331 points – good chance will qualify for Regional Finals

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

Inters:

Ethan Monk winning 100m

Joe Timba winning 80m Hurdles

Oliver Maisuria-Hull     winning Javelin

Juniors:

Thomas Young               second fasted 300m

Raffi Berry                        winning 800m 2.29.8sec

Jasper Towley                 winning Triple Jump

(PB)

(PB)

(PB)

(PB)

Theo Rainey                    winning Javelin 21.60m (PB)

I was really pleased with our Junior Team; for many it was their first opportunity to perform on a track in an athletics event – particularly our First Years, who were competing against many Year 8 athletes.

Hampton and LEH ran this event on behalf of Middlesex and London Schools Athletics, giving the opportunity to compete to over 600 school athletes.

Following in the footsteps of our Senior Combined Event 2024 National Team Champions, Keiren and Aaron, we have a new crop of talented athletes aiming to continue in Hampton School combined events success.

Wed 21 May

Three Fourth Year athletes competed in the U17 – Inter Boys at London & Middlesex Combined Events at Lee Valley.

Inter Boys Pentathlon: Long Jump, Discus, Javelin, Hurdles 1500m

Joe Timba                        points   2610     Ranked 1st in Middlesex

Oliver Maisuria-Hull      points   2229     Ranked 5th in Middlesex

Ethan Monk                     points   2150     Ranked 6th in Middlesex

All three athletes performed extremely well; they are all a year young in the age category. Hopefully Oliver and Ethan can join Joe in the Middlesex Team next year.

Joe has been selected as for the Middlesex Team – four athletes – to compete at the SE England Combined Events on Sat 28 & 29 June

Wed 28 May

Two Third Year athletes competed in the U15 – Junior Boys at Surrey & Sussex Open Combined Events at K2 Crawley.

Junior Boys Pentathlon: Hurdles, Shot, Long Jump, High Jump, 800m

Jojo O’Shaughnessy      points 2434 Ranked 1st in Middlesex

Luke Mills points 1775 Ranked 3rd in Middlesex

Jojo and Luke have been selected for the Middlesex Team – four athletes – to compete at the SE England Combined Events on Sat 28 & 29 June.

Sat 7 June

LEH & Hampton Athletics Event at LEH (First to Fourth Year) at St Mary’s Track

Events: Long Jump & Triple Jump, Discus & Shot, 100m, 200m, 300m, 800m, 4x100m relay

On Sat 7 June, we hosted the inaugural Hampton & LEH Junior Athletics Fixture, at the St Mary’s Uni Track. The overnight weather forecast left us nervous about the early morning conditions and questioning if we should go ahead.

Thankfully, our patience – with some luck – paid off; fortunately, spectators, organisers, and athletes stayed dry throughout the competition.

29 Hampton First, Second, and Third Year athletes join forces with LEH competing against, Harrodian, Epsom, Highgate, Grey Court, and St Benedict’s.

Overall, we came second place to a very strong Grey Court team. It was a great opportunity for many of our young athletes to get a taste of competition and a welcomed opportunity to practice ahead of our Track & Field Regional Final, Middlesex Champs and Borough Sport.

Thank you to Hampton and LEH staff for helping and making sure the event was run smoothly.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

First Years

Peter Rey-Raab              100m   13.26    2nd Place

Ethan Chow                    200m   28.56    1st Place

Jonah Miles                     200m    28.72    2nd Place Shot      7.39m    2nd Place

Luke Bennett                  Shot      7.58m    1st Place

Relay Team                      2nd Place in a photo finish

Second Years

Yule Choi                         200m 26.31 1st Place

Raffi Berry                       800m 2.22 2nd Place (same time as the winner)

Toby Baker                       Discus 21.85m 1st Place Shot 9.71m 1st Place

Ollie Scrimshaw            Long Jump   4.65m 2nd Place Shot 9.17m 1st Place

Relay Team                      2nd Place in a photo finish

Third Years

Neo Tigges                       100m 11.94 1st Place

Luke Mills                        100m 11.91 1st Place

Jojo O’Shaughnessy      High Jump 1.65m 1st Place

Huw Chapman               Shot 9.4m 2nd Place

Relay Team                      3rd Place in a photo finish with 1st & 2nd

Wed 11 June

On Wed 11 June, our Junior and Inter Track & Field Teams performed extremely well at one of the Regional Finals at Watford Athletics Track.

The Junior Team continued to develop and improve. Many of our First Years have embraced the Athletics programme this summer, which is exciting for the future; their team total of 363 points reflected on a very good team performance.

Our Inter Team performed outstandingly to produce 503 points, which is the highest we have ever produced since competing in this competition; it is the first time we have achieved over 500 points!

Joe Timba and Oliver Maisura-Hull were the standout performers on the day.

Middlesex Schools Championships (U15/U17/U20) at Lee Valley

(Sat 14 June)

Six U17 Inter athletes qualified for this year’s County Champs. In the field, Kota Dooley’s Triple Jump produced a personal best performance on 12.04m, finishing in third place, and Ethan Monk’s Long Jump also produced a personal best of 5.80m, also seeing him finish third.

Well done Joe Timba and Marcus Solomon on the track; both finished in second place.

Top billing goes to U15 Junior athlete, Luke Mills, competing in the 80m Hurdles, for finishing in first place with a personal best time 12.25sec.

Richmond Athletics Championships

(Years 7, 8, 9, 10/11) at St Mary’s

(Wed 18 June)

In the early summer sunshine and heat, Hampton Athletes produced some exciting performances and personal bests at this year’s Championships.

A huge thank you to Hampton and LEH staff for once again running such a large and important event, giving the opportunity to over 400 students from Richmond Schools to run, jump, and throw their best!

37 Hampton First, Second, Third, and Fourth Year athletes competed at this year’s championships in the 30-degree heat at the Strawberry Hill Track. Hampton Boys finished in second place overall – out of eleven schools – behind a very powerful Grey Court Team.

Hampton athletes showed once again their determination, skill, and excellence!

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

First Years

Jonah Miles 200m 2nd Place 27.94

Ethan Chow 300m 2nd Place 46.08

Kaarthikan K 800m 1st Place 2.23 PB Henry Malone 80m Hurdles 1st Place 13.57  PB Discus 2nd Place 19.3m

Yakub Azimov Long Jump 1st Place 4.49m PB

Theo Rainey Javelin 1st Place 26.22m PB Relay Team  2nd Place

Second Years

Yule Chow 200m 1st Place 26.08 PB

Reuben Nicholson 1500m 2nd Place 4.49 PB

Toby Baker Discus 1st Place 24.16m

Ollie Scrimshaw Long J ump 2nd Place 4.57m Relay Team 1st Place

Third Years

Neo Tigges 100m 2nd Place 11.64 PB Luke Mills 80 Hurdles 2nd Place 11.95 PB National Standard

Jojo O’Shaughnessy High J 1st Place 1.66m Alex Hodges 200m 3rd Place 24.84 PB

Fourth Year

Ethan Monk 100m 1st Place 11.22 Long Jump 1st Place 6.13m PB

Kota Dooley 200m 2nd Place 23.78 PB

Ollie Maisuria-H 400m 2nd Place 53.2 Javelin 2nd Place 38.37m

Joe Timba 100 Hurdles 1st Place 13.62 National Standard High Jump 1st Place 1.85 PB

Tolu Idowu Triple Jump 2nd Place 11.60 Relay Team 1st Place 45.74

Borough Record & School Record Ethan/Tolu/Joe/Ollie

Trinity Athletics (Years

9, Y10/11 & Y12)

at Sevenoaks

(New Event, Sat 21 June)

We were delighted to welcome the restart of this event; for many of our athletes, this was the last opportunity of the summer to perform for school.

Congratulations to the following boys for being selected to represent Middlesex Schools at the English Schools Track & Field Championships at Birmingham, Fri 11 & Sat 12 July:

Inter Boys: Marcus Solomon 1500m Joe Timba 100m Hurdles

Junior Boys: Luke Mills 80m Hurdles

Combined Event athletes, Southeast Championships

(Sat 28 & 29 June)

Jojo O’Shaughnessy and Luke Mills were part of the Junior Middlesex Pentathlon Team – four athletes – competing against some of the best athletes in the country. Both performed very well in all five events, helping the Middlesex Team to finish a very close third place – with the possibility of team qualification for the Nationals in September.

Joe Timba competed as part of the Inter Octathlon Middlesex Team on Saturday and Sunday – having returned from Silver DofE on Friday afternoon – performing impressively in all 8 events. Joe achieved sixth place overall as a 1st Year in the age category; this is hugely impressive, and, as a result, he qualifies for the Nationals in September as an individual.

Richmond Schools in the Middlesex Year 7 & Year 8 Championships at Stone X

(Mon 30 June)

Out of nine Boroughs competing Richmond Schools, the Year 7 boys finished in First Place and the Year 8 boys finished in Second Place; this was a brilliant effort by our Juniors and a great way to finish the term for our young athletes.

ESAA Combined Events National Championships –Chelmsford

(Sat 20 & 21 Sept)

Joe Timba: Intermediate Boys Octathlon Day 1    Long Jump Discus Javelin 400m Day 2    100m hurdles High Jump Shot Put 1500m

Joe performed amazingly well, producing a great number of PBs and, ultimately, finishing in 8th place in a very strong field. Congratulations to him on what is a phenomenal achievement. CTM

Cross-country Running

The Cross-Country running schedule this year was action-packed as usual in spite of some early events being cancelled due to poor conditions. Great individual and team performances and some really focussed racing from all our runners.

In early November, Hampton School entered three teams comprised of seventeen runners across all three age groups to compete in the ESAA Cross Country Team event. On the fast, reasonably flat Dulwich School course all our runners put in admirable performances but were just outside national qualification.

Also in November, the Richmond Schools Cross Country race saw a change of venue moving from Richmond Park last year to Bushy Park. On a cold, yet sunny afternoon, our first-year team came a credible 5th place, with an outstanding individual performance from Noah Liborg, who won the race in style and is the new Richmond Schools Year 7 Champion. Our second- and third-year teams finished a very competitive 3rd place in a very strong field with strong racing from Rafi Berry (8th place), and Sebastian Wright (10th place) with fantastic support from all team runners. Our fourth-year team competed very well as a team, racing against runners in the year above and, considering our top three runners were away on a field trip, the team finished in 3rd place, with Alex Pollock finishing a very strong 9th in a tough field.

In February, Noah Liborg, Rafi Berry and Marcus Solomon returned to Harrow School to compete in the Middlesex Cross Country Championships but racing as individuals. Some spirited running in challenging conditions saw all three runners finish in the top section of their respective divisions.

Based on their strong performances, Noah Liborg, Owen Parker and Marcus Solomon were invited to compete in the London Youth Games with Marcus finishing an excellent 14th in a field comprised of runners from across the South East.

The annual Tiffin School Judge Cup relays were in February and in muddy conditions, a team of seven Hampton runners competed against some of the premier running schools in south London. With great performances from Noah Liborg, Rafi Berry, Sebastian Wright, Owen Parker, Ruben Bouwmeister-Reid and Ewan Mcvey, the team finished just outside the podium positions. Fantastic credit to Ewan, who clocked one of the fastest times of the day running the slippery 2.8km course without spikes in under 10 minutes!

In our very own Hampton David Clarke Paarlauf in early December there were fantastic conditions for running, and there were thrills, spills and great finishing distances. Over our home course set inside our school grounds and lasting exactly 24 minutes, 56 teams of 3 runners from 12 schools ran as fast and as far as they possibly could. With some schools arriving with multiple teams for each age group, our Hampton School teams performed valiantly with our seniors finishing second just short of running 8km in 24 minutes and our intermediates in third.

In summary, it was a good year for Cross Country running at Hampton School and we are looking forward to seeing what the team can achieve in the coming year.

VHT

The Tiffin Relay Race:

As the lunch bell resonated throughout the school corridors, I grabbed my bags and kit.

I was leaving school for the annual Judge Cup Relay event held at Tiffin Sports Grounds. As our two teams convened to talk tactics we spotted Mr Ting, co-ordinator of all the cross-country events.

Unfortunately, he had bad news, team 2 didn’t have enough people to run so it was dismantled. Although one of the teams had been lost which dampened our spirits, we were still focused on a first-place finish.

A short drive led us to our destination where the flags and markers were laid out across the course. As this was a relay, the distance was quite small only 2.8km per person.

After putting our spikes and running gear on, our team started a dynamic and energising warm-up. The man in charge of the race bellowed through his megaphone that it was time for the runners of the first leg to get into position. Following a short blow of his whistle the runners sprinted to get to the front of the pack. We got off to a strong start. A few minutes later our second leg runner got into position, tagged his teammate and bolted off down the muddy churned-up pitch. Making sure I had finished my warmup routine, I took my layers off and waited at the finish line.

Nerves ran through my body.

I would have to run a quick leg if our team wanted to win.

Seeing my fellow runner sprinting down the final straight I started my watch. Waiting for him to tap my hand I paused for a steady breath of air. Feeling a tap, I shot away.

The course was mainly flat bar one short uphill section. I made my way across the course keeping my breath calm. As I came round the corner for my second lap a loud cheer of encouragement resounded from my team. This gave me a boost in energy, making me push myself as hard as I could to get first-place for my team. Knowing that I had given everything, I strived for one last push to the finish line.

I tapped my teammate and away he went. After all the legs had been completed, we all congratulated each other. The times were added up and the results were in.

Despite our valiant efforts, we had come 5. Just off the podium. Even though it wasn’t the result we had hoped, we still deserved it, nevertheless. Feeling weary and aching a little, especially in my legs, I clambered onto the bus and sunk into the seat. It had been a great day for the calendar.

Sadly, this was the last cross-country event of the year, but I am looking forward to the start of the athletics season.

Sebastian Wright

GOLF

The golf season kicked off with three round-robin matches in the Swifts Foursomes competition, with Hampton being represented by captain Alex Trevers, Hugo Knowles, Raphael Cawthra, Robbie Ker, Joe Perry, Ruben Bouwmeester-Reid, Freddie Stuart, Brian Kim, Ruaan Vamadevan, and Harry Wang

Our group contained some very tough opposition in the form of Eton, Whitgift, and Kingston Grammar School.

Beaten convincingly by the first two schools, our victory against KGS was sadly not enough to see us qualify out of the group. Nevertheless, there were some great highlights from these matches – for example, Alex and Hugo performing brilliantly under pressure against the top Whitgift pair, and holing a superb put on the 17th to take the match to the last.

It was lovely to welcome pupils from the Lower School again – Brian in the Third Year, Ruaan in the Second, and Harry in the First – who slotted really well into the team.

In the ISGA Singles knockout competition, our team – Alex, Raphael, and Hugo – won the first round against Halliford School and received a bye in the second round, which left only one match, against St Paul’s, between us and the national final.

The boys had a great day at Royal Mid Surrey, and although the match went our opponents’ way, a win was never out of reach: indeed, Raphael was on the 18th green gearing up for a play-off hole when his opponent chipped in to take the point! Hard luck Raphael, hopefully the luck will go our way next year!

Our golfers were kept busy in the summer term with two friendlies as well as a tournament at Windlesham – Raphael, Robbie, and Jack Shephard – in which Raphael did extremely well, to finish 5th overall.

In the friendlies, with study leave having started, our regular players were joined by Gabriele Chiarotti, Sam Vowles, and Richard Page

We were beaten by KCS Wimbledon in a hard-fought match, and our match against Emanuel was a convivial tie. Next summer, we are looking forward to hosting KCS, KGS and Emanuel for a four-way friendly tournament – hopefully the first of many!

A summer term highlight is always the Richmond Schools tournament, in which David Lloyd and Fulwell golf clubs welcomed 55 players from 8 schools in the borough.

In a strong field – with prizes awarded to Turing House, Orleans Park, St Paul’s, and Kew House – Hampton certainly held its own, gaining a runners-up prize in the Intermediate Stableford category – Joe Bates – a winner’s prize in the Junior Stableford – Harry Wang – as well as the best scratch score overall – Brian Kim.

Well done boys, a superb performance!

In the final week of term, we enjoyed another fantastic afternoon at Fulwell, hosting the annual Old Hamptonians match.

Alex, Raphael, Robbie, Richard, Ruben and Gabriele were joined by some less experienced – but very keen! – Lower Sixth Form golfers: Joe Turton, Ollie Swetman, Ben Robinson, Sam Vowles, Hamish Soley, and Louis Wright.

With the best six Stableford scores to count, the match was a close one: 190 points to The School, and 203 to the Old Hamptonians, who retain the ‘J W Stokes trophy’.

Well done to Gabriele for his ‘nearest the pin’ shot on the 9th hole, and to Hamish, whose amazing Eagle on the 4th helped him towards his top score of 34 points.

Thanks to all those who took part and we look forward to next year, when Alex promises to return with some more recent leavers to bolster the OH side!

Many thanks to Mr Worrall for all his organisational support this season. Thank you Alex for your hard work as captain; I am sure Raphael will follow your example next year, as we all look forward to another busy and successful season.

SEM

Specialist Sports

Specialist Sports continue to be eagerly and competitively attended at Hampton, with good quantity and strong quality across the varying sports being played.

Badminton

Badminton has really flourished this year under the expert leadership of Mr Lee, who has bought fantastic knowledge as well as supreme enthusiasm for the Sport. The number of fixtures are up, and the percentage of wins are as well – showing not only an increase in participation but also in quality.

The standout team this year were the U14s, who, after wins away against teams from Whitgift and Dulwich, were defeated in the National Schools Magazine cup by a very strong Wilson’s side. In the National Championships the team won through the Middlesex round to the Regional Round, playing schools from Essex, Surrey and Kent – which was the furthest a Hampton team had progressed in years!

The U16s had a good season, winning as many games as they lost; we look forward to seeing these players continue to play for the school and push for places in the U18 side next year.

The U18s had some very competitive fixtures, and, with the demands of other sports, it was often difficult to get out an experienced side.

The highlight of the season was the end of season competition at Dulwich with Declan Goh and Ronit Raj securing victory in our deciding play off for 3rd place. Both of these boys have now left the School, but we thank them for their efforts in Badminton across their time at Hampton considering the other demands on them.

Considering the demands from other sports, the participation of Pupils is hugely appreciated by the Staff and provides Pupils with a different type of sporting participation and challenge that perhaps the ‘major sports’ command.

Thank you as always to all our expert coaches and staff that have assisted with training sessions during and after school as well as taking fixtures.

This year has seen various successes across Richmond Borough competitions as well as progress in Surrey Basketball leagues and fiercely competitive inter-Form competitions.

Pickleball

Pickleball continues to be a popular addition to the Hampton offering, with good numbers at lunchtime clubs and keen participation during PE lessons.

Next year will see the inaugural Richmond Borough Pickleball festival being held at Hampton following postponement this year.

Basketball

Basketball remains a hugely popular sport at Hampton, with great numbers at lunchtime clubs and a Senior programme that trains before School to allow for more Sports Hall time.

We continue to enter the extremely competitive Surrey Schools League, which provides the Pupils with some very competitive fixtures and further opportunities to develop their enjoyment and ability across the Sport.

Both the U13s and U15s progressed through the Surrey League stages to the playoffs – which represent very good performances!

The highlight of the season was the inaugural London Youth Games Borough Qualifier, which was hosted at Hampton.

Hampton won through topping the round-robin group in a highly competitive competition before losing to Christ’s School in a close final, losing by only one score.

Volleyball

Volleyball continues to be popularly attended during lunchtime clubs, with some very good Senior Volleyball players – including and welcoming players from younger age groups into competitive practices and matches during training.

This year, we entered the ACS Cobham beach volleyball competition at Barn Elms, with Henry Walmsley and Jonathan Morrison progressing through to the top tier after their group, and Rajvir Dhillon, Uzair Khaleel, and Jonah Majeed progressing through to the third tier.

These represented genuinely fantastic performances considering that over 70 pairs entered the competition! Well done to the boys!

HPH

Table Tennis

The standout team in the 2024-25 season were the U13s, who, having won their Richmond Borough Tournament, progressed to the London South regional competition –where they lost to the eventual winners 5-3 in a closely contested fixture that could have gone either way.

The same was true of the plate final after a comfortable semi-final against St Osmond’s, Hampton lost 5-3 – but, this meant that the side had progressed further than any Hampton side in the last 10 years!

In the very competitive London Schools league, the team secured comfortable victories against Cheam, Rutlish, and Southborough, with a draw against Wallington.

10 players represented the side across the course of the year, which, considering a team comprises of only four players, shows the great depth in this group. We hugely look forward to seeing this group of players continue to flourish.

The U16s also had a commendable season; all of our players made great strides in their development, having taken up the sport recently. Boris Duke finished the season as the number 1 seed.

Finally, in the Seniors, U18s, Shane Karunakaran and Oliver Dugaric represented Hampton at the individual South of England U18 tournament, gaining great experience and progressing through the early rounds before losing to seeded opposition – a fantastic effort which will hopefully give them good experience for a further run at the competition next year!

Team Photos

Image: Lisa Keffer / Unsplash.com

Alumni

Giving day

Thank you! GIVING DAY

Thank you to everyone who took part, both online and offline, to raise funds for the Fitzwygram Foundation. Its single, transformative aim is to provide more Free Places for Hamptonians of the future. To find out more, and to watch some of our videos, visit hamptonschool.givingday.co.uk

MESSAGES FROM DONORS

‘This Foundation offers my son the chance to receive a scholarship to Hampton School, and I wish I could do more to support it.

He is excited about attending after completing his studies and securing a job. He has also expressed a desire to join the Foundation to help provide similar opportunities for others in the future.’

‘I am inspired by Hampton School. Our son is fortunate to be a student here. I only wish I was!’

‘I want to give a little back to make a difference to a future Hamptonian’s life.’

‘Thank you to Hampton for being the bedrock of who I am today and providing me such great opportunities which I would not have had elsewhere. I hope my small donation helps support a pupil to have a fulfilling education.’

£256,000 TOTAL RAISED

£1,557

LUNCHTIME

HAMPTON’S UPPER SIXTH FAMILIES – OUR NEWEST OHS AS THE CLASS OF 2025 - RAISED ALMOST

386 139 41% £50,000

DONORS SUPPORTED THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FIRST TIME

MESSAGES OF SUPPORT WERE POSTED ON THE DONOR WALL OF DONATIONS WERE £25 AND UNDER

He’s a Hamptonian

Will Kelleher OH (2010)

DEPUTY RUGBY CORRESPONDENT, THE TIMES

Award-nominated sports reporter Will began his journalism career editing the Hampton Sports Chronicle

He has written for the Daily Mail, covering the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, and the 2019 World Cup in Japan. In 2022, Will moved to The Times and is currently their Deputy Rugby Correspondent. He has reported from the 2023 World Cup in France to tours in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Will also writes on the Premiership and hosts The Ruck podcast

Tom Sheppey OH (2009)

ENTREPRENEUR – FOUNDER, STRONGLY

Tom is founder and director of Strongly, an independent fitness clothing brand, designed and hand-printed in London. With a degree in English from Newcastle University and professional marketing experience, he set out to create unique clothing that withstands the demands of strength training. With aspirations to become the UK’s top CrossFit clothing brand, Tom’s entrepreneurial journey has accelerated his learning and improved his skills in marketing and understanding of the business world.

He’s a Hamptonian continues to celebrate the success of Hampton School alumni in a variety of industries and inspire current Hampton pupils.

Momo Ushido OH (2012)

VISUAL DEVELOPMENT ARTIST, ROCKSTAR GAMES

After leaving Hampton, Momo studied an Art Foundation course at UCA Farnham, before gaining a First Class Honours in ‘Game Art Design’ from De Montfort University – his studies covered 3D modelling, concept art, and working with game engines. Since graduating, he has worked as a Visual Development Artist at Rockstar Games, responsible for some the world’s bestselling video games including the Grand Theft Auto series.

Jack Wheating OH (2014)

MECHANICAL ENGINEER, THE TYRE COLLECTIVE

Jack Wheating is a Mechanical Engineer for The Tyre Collective, a clean-tech company which captures and monitors tyre wear particles, accelerating the shift towards zero-emissions. Jack’s interest in protecting the environment grew while he was studying a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol. He has led and managed research into increasing tyre wear capture efficiency, and the behaviour type of tyre wear particles. Jack has been instrumental in rolling out The Tyre Collective’s environmental innovation in the Netherlands with car fleets used by companies such as Alphabet and Post NL

Josh King OH (2025)

PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER

Hampton football legend Josh plays for Fulham FC and made his Premier League debut in 2024. Josh’s talent was clear for all to see as he progressed through School, most memorably scoring an electric solo goal to help Hampton win the prestigious ESFA cup in 2023.

OH News

Visit from Milo Heard OH(2022) to Hampton

Hampton School were delighted to welcome back Milo Heard OH (2022) to speak to Sixth Form pupils about achieving top grades, studying Psychology at University, and maintaining a sustainable study-life balance.

Milo, who achieved three A*s at A-Level and is now in his final year at the University of Nottingham, was the ideal candidate to inspire current pupils as they look towards their A levels at Hampton. He highlighted the importance of consistency in success, taking responsibility for progress, and spoke more widely about life at University, including starting a football team and joining an a capella choir.

We wish Milo the best in his future studies – including his dissertation on combating the use of AI technology in job interviews.

Double Wicket Debut

May 2025

On his professional first class debut for Middlesex County Cricket Club, Naavya Sharma OH (2024) took a wicket in each innings in the County Championship fixture versus Leicestershire.

Captain of Hampton School First XI in 2024, Naavya also had the opportunity to bat alongside Middlesex club captain, and fellow alumnus, Toby Roland-Jones OH (2006).

Earlier this year, he received his second call up to the England U19s Young Lions squad. Naavya is currently studying Mathematics at the University of Warwick.

We wish him continued success in his career.

Chemistry Race 2025

February 2025

We were delighted to hear of the success of our Chemists at the University of Cambridge’s annual Chemistry Race, finishing 6th out of 60 teams.

The event also allowed the pupils, alongside Mr Schofield and Mr Doyle, to catch up with Vlad Penzyev OH (2021), Cameron Jones OH (2024), Joe Maheswaran OH (2024), and Abhi Sundaram OH (2022), who was part of the first ever Hampton team to participate in the challenge. The group enjoyed a fantastic lunch at Brown’s, and the OHs were able to provide insightful conversation and thoughts to the pupils about their forthcoming years.

OHs help make Careers Week a success

February 2025

An excellent Hampton School Careers Week saw over 700 attendees over the course of the eleven sessions, featuring warm and engaging panellists.

The Careers in Sport talks, hosted by the Alumni and Fitzwygram Foundation Office, featured six fantastic OH speakers, which gave current pupils the perfect opportunity to visualise a journey from the corridors of Hampton to a professional career.

In the first session, Matthew Phillips OH (2011) – General Counsel at Leicester City FC, Matt Nichols OH (2011) – Head of Insight and Strategy at Brentford FC, and Sam Hawthorn OH (2012) – Account Lead at Two Circles, provided a fascinating insight into Sport and Business.

This was followed by Tom Leggett OH (2009) – Sports Doctor and GP, Dom Jackson OH (2016) – Performance Sports Coach, and Ben Lowe OH (1995) – England Rugby Player Experience Director, who spoke expertly on Sport and Player Performance.

Touch Rugby National Selection

April 2025

Congratulations to Theo Tyler-Low OH (2024) on his selection for the England Under 20s touch rugby training squad in preparation for the Youth Atlantic Cup this summer.

Theo is studying Finance and Management at Loughborough University and has hopes to make the final squad for the prestigious U20 tournament.

The Youth Atlantic Cup takes place in Ireland and will attract more than 30 teams from up to a dozen nations. In his final year

at Hampton, Theo represented both the First XV and VIIs teams, as well as being part of the Senior Athletics squad who won the 2024 Achilles’ Schools Relays 4x100m race. In doing so they set a new School record, helping contribute to Hampton’s best ever result in the competition, and were awarded The Harold Abraham Trophy.

We wish Theo the best in his continued studies and sporting achievements.

Re-election for Martin Smith OH (1977) May 2025

Martin was re-elected as the Liberal Democrat Wiltshire Councillor for the Sherston Division in May 2025.

‘I have been asked to become the Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding. This is a particularly challenging role in the current climate of tight local government budgets and a large backlog of road maintenance. This is the first time there has been a Liberal Democrat administration in Wiltshire since 1997.’

Double European Medallist

Congratulations to Rex Booth OH (2024) who helped Great Britain claim bronze and silver at the Acrobatic European Championships in Luxembourg.

Rex was competing as part of Team GB’s Senior Men’s Group, and strong performances in the Dynamic and All-Around finals secured the team third and second place finishes respectively.

Reflecting on the occasion, Rex shared his thoughts: ‘We are so incredibly proud of our achievement and the result. Coming into our second major senior competition, we knew a little more of what to expect; so, in our training preparation, we worked extremely hard to improve and hone our skills coming into this competition, and it really did take immense

hard work, focus, and grit to prepare ourselves. Coming into the competition, we just wanted to focus on enjoying the process, relying on our training and doing the best we can, and to come away with two medals amongst an extremely high calibre of competition was just incredible. We are so proud to be competing in such a high quality

and standard of competition, and we will endeavour to push ourselves and work hard ahead of future endeavours.’

Following the result, we are delighted to share that Rex has been selected to represent Great Britain in the World Games, taking place in China in August.

Kanbar Hossein-Bor OH (1998) makes history as first refugee to become a UK High Commissioner

Congratulations to Kanbar on his appointment to become UK High Commissioner to Fiji. Here is an extract from The Guardian’s article following the announcement:

‘In her mind this was a bastion of the establishment, she was a little worried of rejection,’ Kanbar Hossein-Bor said of his mother’s reaction, two decades ago, to the news he was applying to work in the UK

Foreign Office. The fear that ‘he might not be British enough’ was proved wrong, when Hossein-Bor was appointed as the UK’s high commissioner to Fiji – the first refugee to achieve the rank.

‘For the 44-year-old, who did not speak English when he fled Iran as a child in 1987, the role is an opportunity to strengthen the UK’s ‘deep historic bond’ with Fiji, as it faces a ‘huge challenge around climate’’.

Notes from Cobham FC from keeper Conrad Knight OH (2024)

Cobham FC won their league cup – the CCL Premier Cup – in 2025, Cobham’s first trophy in 23 years, after a 3-1 win the final. Following their playoff semi-final win on penalties against Redhill, Cobham played Jersey away in the playoff final, with the stadium being sold out for the game. This was Conrad’s fortieth non-league game in the 2024-25 season, in which he kept 17 clean sheets and played against numerous ex professionals.

Unfortunately, the Jersey Bulls dashed hopes for an eighteenth clean sheet and victory in the play-off final, winning 2-1 against Cobham. Speaking to the BBC, Jersey Bulls coach said, ‘Cobham were a great side and commiserations to them – they’re the best-coached side we’ve played in the league, they’ve got patterns of play, they’re really efficient at set pieces and defensively they’re solid – we really had to be at our very best today to beat them.’

For his incredible work saving some tricky shots and several vital penalties, Conrad was awarded the team’s Golden Glove award for the 2024-25 season.

Jesper Hartikainen OH (2021)

Jesper Hartikainen, was in his second year at the University of Bristol in 2023 when he received a call from his mother, Johanna, to tell him she had breast cancer. She underwent multiple surgeries and radiotherapy and has since made a full recovery.

‘This July, I will be cycling 2500km from London to Helsinki, my family’s hometown, in support of Prevent Breast Cancer. This journey is called ‘To HEL with Cancer,’ a personal mission to raise awareness for early detection and prevention.

Early intervention can save lives, and this cause is incredibly close to my heart. I believe we can make a real difference.’

You can follow Jesper’s progress leading up to and throughout the event by following his Instagram @juhani.cc.a

Staying Connected

Our Hampton School Alumni LinkedIn group is the perfect way to stay in contact with Hamptonians, wherever you are in the world. To share news, network and find out more about alumni news and events, simply search Hampton School Alumni

LinkedIn

Add Hampton School to your education in your profile and join our Hampton School Alumni group.

Alumni website

Visit the alumni microsite on the School website: alumni.hamptonschool.org.uk

Keeping in touch

If you change email or telephone number, or move house, please remember to let the Alumni team know your new contact details by emailing: alumni@hamptonschool.org.uk.

We’ll always be mindful of how often we communicate with you but you can update your contact preferences at any time via alumni.hamptonschool.org.uk/contactus/communication-preferences

Jiri Musil

1957–2025

My father, who for many years worked on layout and typesetting for The Lion, died following a short illness in May of this year. Why did he maintain this connection to Hampton for so long after I finished my A levels?

Jiri Musil was born in communist Czechoslovakia in 1957. He started ice skating in Brno where, aged 13, he was paired with Anna – she would become his lifetime partner both on and off the ice.

Despite training daily at elite level, the pair were apparently prevented from competing in the 1976 and 1980 winter Olympics by a party official’s personal grudge. Their training during this time was a tough, all-day affair, during which my father was often beaten by his coach. Their schooling was caught up only in evening classes.

During a London competition in 1980, Jiri and Anna decided to ditch their chaperones and start a new life with only 19 pounds cash, a duvet, and their skill as skaters.

To my parents, 1980s London was a meritocracy in which they would prove their ability without political interference and personal nastiness. They worked as exhibition skaters and teachers, and between jobs would create their own routines, costumes, and soundtracks.

In 1982 they won the ice dance category of the world professional figure skating championships in Jaca, Spain, to music from Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In that film a young man is compelled to travel to the location of first contact with aliens, which the government is attempting to conceal from the public. At the film’s climax, the man’s intuitions of predestiny are confirmed, and he is chosen to board the departing spaceship. In doing so he leaves his family and the familiar world, with neither a chance to say goodbye, nor any guarantee of return.

The experience of defecting from the Soviet Union to the West was practically the same – minus the spaceship.

Hard training had so damaged father’s joints that he was forced to stop skating by his 30s. He studied politics, economics, and German language at Kingston University, where he was surprised by an emphasis on learning critical thinking, as compared to the didactic approach he was used to.

After this, my parents undertook an eclectic and self-taught variety of projects: working at a boatyard on Eel Pie Island, a translation and publishing business, interpreting for the Home Office, running a 60 foot Thames hotel barge, building a prodigious number of sheds, keeping accounts for the choir of the Chapel Royal Hampton Court Palace, becoming full-time carers for an old skating friend, and renovating a croft house in the Scottish Highlands.

On top of this, father volunteered thousands of hours as a Community First Responder for South East Coast Ambulance Service.

My parents’ lives tended to extreme self-determination, but they wished for me to pick up the values of UK civil society, which they admired but felt unconfident in emulating.

In the tough training my parents received, little thought was given to holistic or social development. Surely all parents want a good education for their child, but the experience of emigrating adds layers to the impulse.

Having been forced to choose between skating and playing the piano as a child, my father was also keen that I should learn to play music. Thanks to my early music lessons, I won a choral scholarship to Hampton, and my parents continued to support me tirelessly.

For my father, I believe that keeping a small role in the Hampton School community constituted proof that he really had escaped the arbitrary, petty, and frequently brutal mores of the world in which he grew up.

Thank you for letting my father share and delight in your stories and achievements.

Jason Musil

Tribute to Jiri Musil

Working with Jiri on The Lion for nearly a decade was to witness a level of dedication – and, frequently, patience – that bordered on the heroic.

He approached each issue – over the course of a twenty-year span as its sole designer, also working alongside the magazine’s two preceding Editors – with a determination to make it not just good, but superb. Anyone who has ever produced a school magazine – or worked within a school setting – will know that perfection is essentially impossible; but, this never once deterred him from the intent and ambition.

When we would be putting the final touches to the latest edition, I would often wake to find two, three, sometimes four emails sent between 1am and 3am; they would be filled with meticulous corrections, new ideas, and useful questions for me to follow up the next day.

It was simply how he worked: quietly, tirelessly, and with an unshakeable pride in the finished product that would bear his name as its designer.

What astonishes me is how far beyond the call of duty he went. Remaining involved for so many years, long after anything akin to

any sense of obligation had passed, was the definition of a labour of love and pride.

His commitment was not transactional; it was heartfelt. He cared about getting things right – not for recognition, but because he believed in producing something worthy of the students whose work we showcased and reported on. Year in and year out. Many of these wonderful editions will sit on your shelves now – and serve as wonderful mementos of experiences and timed with friends shared at school.

And yet, for all the long hours and occasionally protracted editorial battles, Jiri made the process not just bearable but, at times, genuinely joyful. His dry wit, unfailing good humour, and the extraordinary stories drawn from a life far richer and more varied than most, transformed what could easily have been a crushing chore into something companionable and memorable.

I will never forget the occasion when – during one of our full-day editing stints – the spring went within the door handle to the bathroom and Jiri had to rescue me by bringing a ladder around to the window; perhaps, were it not for this other form of heroism that was part of his character, I would still be trapped there today!

Working beside him meant learning, laughing, and often marvelling at the experiences he carried so lightly. The job might well have been – and continue to be – a Sisyphean one, but it was unequivocally better with him sharing burden, and I remain indebted to him for that.

I will always be grateful for his generosity, his craft, and the spirit he brought to our shared creations. He will be greatly missed.

Mike Baker, Editor of The Lion